Magic Between the Moon & Sky
by BlehBluhBlah
Summary: Just a collection of oneshots revolving around Rayla and Callum's relationship across all plains of existence. From the canon series itself, to College AUs, to Future AUS & Childhood AUs, and more to come! Includes prompts from Rayllum week & month events.
1. All Starry Eyed & Fiery Inside

_**A/N: AHAH! My first TDP fic... ahhh, I just love Rayllum so much. And this fandom. And The Dragon Prince. And well, that's everything... I'm kidding, the fanfic writers and artists in this community are so talented, I love how much everyone contributes! I decided it's been long overdue since I joined the fray. This'll be a collection of one-shots revolving around Rayla and Callum (and Zym, of course) and their journey throughout Xadia. I'll probably check out prompts, but if you want to suggest something go to my blog and ask me.**_

_**Tumblr: blehblarghblah**_

_**Without further ado, the story!**_

_**Word count: 1,901**_

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**All Starry Eyed & Fiery Inside**

"Do you know all the constellations?"

The sudden question sparked confusion in Rayla, causing her to shoot a confused look at the boy beside her. "Er, what?" she replied.

Callum's attention was directed straight toward the sky, almost as if he was gazing wonderingly into the vast space. "You know… the stars?" he lazily prompted.

Rayla's confusion did not deteriorate. If anything, it just increased. She looked down in her lap and noticed Zym sharing the same look as her. At least she wasn't the only one lost here. "Uhhh, why?" she gently asked.

He shrugged, eyes still upward. "I dunno, I just figured, since you're uh, well—a Moonshadow Elf—you'd know a thing or two about the stars?" He offered an innocent smile her way. He seemed hesitant with his thought. As if saying it out loud made him realize how silly it sounded.

Rayla couldn't help but giggle at the boy's awkwardness. Her gaze fell back onto the campfire before them, leaving a moment to ponder the question he'd asked. Meanwhile, Callum's gaze shyly craned back to the sky, assuming the conversation had died off then and there.

The two were currently sat a mere feet away from each other. Callum had his knees crunched up to his chest whilst Rayla kept her legs crisscrossed, allowing for a certain Storm Dragon to lay there. Both their eyes had been fixated on the blazing fire for quite some time now. They dwelled within a blissful silence for nearly ten minutes. Rayla contently found herself petting Zym's head whilst staring into the campfire. Callum was sketching in his notebook once again, but Rayla didn't pay it any mind. She was too busy being wrapped up in the moment to really bother. Besides, she figured it was just another sketch of Zym.

But the sudden randomness of Callum's thoughts were a notion to be desired.

Where did he get these thoughts?

Regardless of how much it ruined their peaceful silence or how abstract it seemed, Rayla was more than willing to entertain him.

"Well, I can't say I don't know nothin' 'bout them," she suddenly spoke.

He quickly drew his attention to her and raised a brow. "But you know some?"

Rayla sighed as she shook her head. "Well, duh. Who doesn't know anything about stars, Callum?" she sarcastically replied. "Besides, last I checked, Stars and Moon were separate categories on the wheel of Six Primal Sources." She lifted her hand and wiggled her finger around in a circle teasingly, remarking with a smug grin. "And that's like assuming since you're now a Sky Mage, you know everything about the weather." She leaned over and squinted at him. "And do ya? Mister Weatherman?" she jokingly asked, "What's the sky looking like tomorrow then?"

Callum disappointedly frowned at his companion. That was win in her book. "Fine, fine, you made your point. It was a dumb question," he dismissed with a weak wave. He fell back onto the ground and stared up into the sky, smiling once more. "Would stars be considered part of the sky?"

A snort escaped Rayla before she could stop it. She immediately covered her mouth and attempted to hide her bundle of chuckles. "Oh, knock it off!" Callum whined, throwing a playful punch to her ribs.

Ralya held her hands up innocence and smirked. "Alright, alright! I'm done," she conceded. She stared at Callum for moment and followed after him, leaning back against the grass. Her gaze flew up into the black sky and the sight above amazed her.

A vast sea of darkness, illuminated by speckles of sparklights. About millions of bright dots, stretched across the night sky. Underneath it all, just the two of them (and Zym).

"What brought this on?" Rayla questioned.

Callum sighed. "I dunno… just… I thought the sky looked pretty."

"So? The campfire's pretty too."

"Yeah, I know."

"Then?"

"I dunno," Callum replied, wearing an earnest smile. "I just, I noticed the Katolis and realized that's the only constellation that really stood out to me. I-I mean, I do know some, but like, I guess I just realized I don't really know much of them," he shyly admitted, eyes still to the sky.

Rayla cocked her head at Callum. "What? Whattya mean ya see 'Katolis'?" she repeated in finger quotes. "Where? How? We're in Xadia, Callum."

He laughed. "No, no, no, the constellation above us!" he quickly supplied. When he noticed Rayla's confusion remained, he sighed and grabbed her left hand with his right. Without even thinking, he raised their hands to the sky and pointed above them.

Rayla stared at the point of his index finger and noticed he was pointing at one of the largest stars. Slowly, he began to trace his fingers around the stars, connecting the dots with an imaginary line. His finger led her around in a near circle, creating small gap near the bottom. His finger drew up a vertical small line at the break, and another smaller line on the other side. This shape, although crudely connected, looked familiar to Rayla, she knew she'd seen it somewhere. A large circle with two lines, almost like a circlet.

"Wait… is that—"

"The crown of Katolis?" Callum suggested. "Yes, yes it is. Named after my kingdom," he proudly stated. He slowly brought down his and Rayla's hand to the ground, smiling at the stars. He seemed quite pleased with himself for Rayla's reaction.

However, the Moonshadow Elf has a different view of wonder in mind. She shot Callum an amused look, to which he noticed, and laughed at his statement. He stared at her confusedly, awkwardly stammering, "Wh-What? What'd I do?"

"Ha! Oh, I just, that's-that's not a constellation!" she laughed, shaking her head at the young boy beside her.

"What? How? What'd you mean!"

"Callum, you're actually looking at Sol Regem's horns!"

"What!"

"Yeah!" Rayla nodded. When she saw Callum's confusion, she immediately grabbed his hand and pointed up at the constellation. Mimicking the same concept, she led his hand around the stars, pointing out the distinct outline of a large pair of horns. It was nearly shaped like the horns of the Sun Dragon the two had encountered when they first entered Xadia.

Callum's eyes widened at the sight as he released a gasp. "Whoa… you're-you're right!"

Rayla scoffed. "When have I ever not been?" she cleverly shot back.

"Ha ha," Callum rolled his eyes. "Okay, oh so wise Elf, show me what else you know then?" He used his free hand and gestured to the sky above them.

Rayla proudly smiled. "Gladly!" she eagerly tightened her grip on his hand and led him around. Callum raised a brow at the shape she'd shown him. It looked like a symbol or letter. "That one's the _Night Watcher_," she announced after finishing. Their hands fell down at their sides, still firmly connected. "The constellation is the Draconic symbol for its name."

Callum's eyes gazed up at the constellation in wonder. "Wow…" he gasped. Rayla smiled at his wonderment. He looked like Ezran gazing upon a sweet treat. Callum's attention never deferred as he curiously asked, "How do you say it?"

"_Noctis Vigil,_" she answered. "Old Elven tale was told around long before I was a wee lass. Parents tell their kids that the _Night Watcher _reigns high above the sky at night, watching their dreams and taking care of them." She chuckled to herself. "The idea was that the symbol was suppose to represent protection and comfort kiddies and all that, but when you grow older ya start to realize—"

"—That a word in the sky seems kinda absurd as a protector?" Callum guessed.

Rayla nodded. "Bingo."

The two shared a laugh. Their fits of giggles and snickers were enough to get Zym smiling. After a moment, Rayla said, "Alright, show me one of yours."

Callum awkwardly chuckled. "Uhh, ha, I don't think ours is as interesting as yours."

"Obviously," the Elf teased. "But I'm still curious as to what else you humans came up with with."

"Okay, well…"

And it continued. The two laid there, in a blissful quiet silence. Delicately whispering to each other as they pointed out the stars their peoples had named. Small fits of laughter exchanged between them, like a bunch of little kids. Callum watched in awe as Rayla excitedly explained the origin and details of the symbols and signs marked within the space of the stars. All the while, Rayla smirked and laughed at Callum's direction and indication of certain strange constellations.

"But, why a belt though?" she'd asked, blatantly confused.

Callums sighed, his face scrunched up as he briefly pondered the question. "I… actually don't know."

Rayla snorted. "Honestly, humans seem to have a fascination with jewelry and accessories in the stars." She smiled at the thought. "Guess it's a nice idea. But it's really materialistic…"

"I always felt like it's because the real gem is up there, ya know?"

The sudden genuineness of his voice threw her for loop. Rayla shot him a look, wonderingly staring into his content eyes. He just seemed so happy with everything. Just this moment, to gaze upon the universe above. It was adoring. The way his smile creased upward as he observed the constellations was heartwarming. The way his green eyes gleamingly reflected the vast speckled sea of stars was entrancing. The way his hand calmly and comfortingly intertwined itself with hers.

Heat rose to Rayla's cheeks as the realization hit her. They had been holding hands for… a _really _long time now. She had no idea how long they'd been lying there, pointing out the stars, but she remembered this began with Callum. She can recall him easily wrapping his hand around hers and leading it around. But the real turn came when she repeated the same gesture.

She wasn't sure when that leading around led to this. This, entanglement of—well what was it? Why did this feel so comforting? Why did it make Rayla feel so warm and… safe? And why did the fact that Callum's effortless method of slipping through her hands make her feel happy? Why did she feel this way? When did this happen? When did she start finding solace in his presence?

She looked down at their hands. They were resting by their sides, firmly held together. His fingers slipped perfectly through gap for each of hers. His five fit her four. Like it was meant to be. It was as if his hand was meant to hold hers, to encase it, to warm it. Almost like he was supposed to hold her—

"Sorry," he suddenly spoke up.

Dazed, confused, (along with a mix of other emotions) Rayla blinked as she returned her gaze back to her companion. "Sorry, what?"

Callum slowly looked over at her, nervously smiling. "I guess that was a bit too… real, huh?"

She stared at him for a few seconds, then realized he was referring to what he had just said. "O-Oh," she stammered out, "Ri-Right, yeah." She shook her head and smiled. "Nah… it was… sweet. I think it's cute."

Callum raised a brow. "Really?" he inquired, clearly surprised. He must've noticed her awkwardness. "Are you feeling okay?"

Rayla nodded, gazing back up at the sky. Her grip relaxed along with her smile. "Yeah… I'm fine." She sighed, contently. "Just feeling a lil' warm."

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_**A/N: I know, it wasn't crazy good or anything like that, but I just really wanted to write a moment like this. Nothing to out there but more along the lines of pureness and comfort. That's all! Please, review, favourite, and follow!**_

_**Until next time,**_

_**\- Bleh**_


	2. Jokes for Another Time, Truth for Now

_**A/N: HEY! Thanks for being so patient with me everyone! Sorry for taking so long, I've been feeling a bit under the weather as of recent. I'm in a big family and someone has the flu, so it's spreading like wildfire and I'm an unfortunate collateral.**_

_**Anyways, this has no relation to the previous one-shot. Just a little idea that came to me, nothing special.**_

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_**Chapter Summary: **__Rayla catches Callum by surprise and casually mentions investing some time in proper self-defence. More surprisingly, Callum offers the notion of mastering more Arcanums and asks for Rayla's input. Of course, he doesn't have the slightest clue as to what it took to master the first time... and how that affected Rayla._

_**Word Count: 3,221**_

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**Jokes for Another Time, Truth for Now**

"What're you doin'?"

The sudden question startled Callum's focus, causing him to throw his sketchbook high into the air. Desperately, he clambered over the log he was sat at in attempt to retrieve the airborne artwork. However, he failed on ever possible level as he tripped over his foot, fell to the ground, and caught the book with the back of his head. He laid in the grass, face planted deeply in shame, as he listened to his Elven companion snicker at his shortcomings.

"Y'know," he spoke up, wincing as he pushed himself off the ground, "you could warn a guy." He glanced up from the ground and shot Rayla an annoyed look.

She simply placed her hands on her hips as she turned up a smug smile. "Aww, but then I wouldn't get to see that face of yours!" She laughed as Callum frowned further. "Besides, I wasn't _that _stealthy." She quirked up a brow as she added, "Maybe if you weren't so wrapped up in your art you'd hear me comin'!"

Callum rolled his eyes as he dusted himself off. "Rayla, I'm not sure if by Assassin standards that was considered noisy, but for an average guy like myself, I'd consider what you just did to be practically soundless." He shook his head as he picked up his book. He sat back down on the log and started to flip through the pages. "Seriously, you were like invisible!"

Rayla blankly stared at Callum for a few seconds. "Uhh, I _can_ turn invisible…"

Callum glanced up from his book and frowned once again. "You know what I meant."

"I was in front of ya."

"Exactly, stealthy!" he mused, "Never saw you coming!"

Rayla rolled her eyes as she made her way over to the log. Rested beside Callum's spot, laid a small Storm Dragon, dazed in a slumber. She made sure to spare a few pets for the baby, taking solace in his pure purrs. As she stroked the dragon's head, she looked back at Callum. She noticed how easily he fell back into his sketching. A discomforting thought swarmed in, leaving her to hesitantly acknowledged Callum. "Y'know, that could've been dangerous."

"Relax, it's a sketchbook, the worst I could've gotten was a mild concussion," he jested.

Rayla frowned. "No, I meant me sneaking up on ya." When Callum looked up from his book and stared at her confusedly, she further explained, "If I was still out gettin' berries and it wasn't me who found you here… you… you could've been—"

"Whoa, whoa," Callum hastily interjected. "Rayla, relax, it's not like I was sleeping or anything! And besides," a proud smile found its way on his lips, "I'm a Sky Mage, I can defend myself!" He jerked his thumb to his chest as he puffed it out.

Rayla stared at him for a moment, allowing a small smile to escape as she watched. He wasn't wrong. But that didn't change how much she was worried about him. Or about how vulnerable he really was. "Aheh, right…" she nervously chuckled. "But…" she closed her eyes and sighed. "A wind and lightin' spell ain't gonna be enough… y'know?" When she perked open her eyes she found a woeful ridden face.

He looked discouraged.

Rayla mentally cursed herself for belittling Callum's skills. "I-I don't mean they're not useful!" she quickly amended. "It's just… ya still don't know a lot of Sky spells and there's a lot of dangerous wildlife around here too." She slightly shrugged. "I just don't want somethin' happenin' to ya because I wasn't there to—" she stopped herself. She could feel a heat rise in her cheeks and nerves chilling down her body. With widened eyes Rayla let out another shy, nervous laugh as she shook her hands. "I-I-I mean, if I wasn't… able to help ya… learn self-defence?" she finished, coming off more as if she was suggesting the idea rather than anything else.

Callum stared at her, confusion struck all over. "I… uh-huh…" he nodded. "I… I do…" He shook his head and sighed. "But, I've already told you how much of a flop I was at swordsmanship and anything else with weapons." He dropped his sketchbook in his lap as he palmed at his face.

"Heeey, c'mon, you said you learned the ol' sweep-the-leg thing I've been doin'!" she cheerfully addressed.

He responded with a small pout as he brought his hands down to his lap. "I said I _tried_ that once, and failed miserably. Of course _you_ know how to do it," he let out a soft sigh, "you're amazing at everything."

A chirp erupted from Zym, who appeared to be looking very interested in the two's conversation, whilst a sudden silence stirred between them. Zym's eyes had opened wide at Callum's words, as if he'd now developed an interest in the current topic. His mouth hung open with his tongue dropped out, hanging onto this excitement of possibilities. There was something there between them he was seeing.

Callum and Rayla merely sat stiff and still, red in the face. Callum awkwardly coughed, averting his eyes toward the ground, the surrounding trees, the sky—practically anything and everything that wasn't Rayla's eyes.

Rayla, on the other hand, couldn't help but stare at the boy before her. His genuineness threw her for a loop along with her heart, leaving her blush to settle within her cheeks for a long time. She smiled at his awkwardness. He meant it, and she knew he did. "Thanks…" she managed to say.

Callum's gaze had briefly found its way to hers, before launching back down to his book. "N-No problem… I-I mean it," he muttered as he opened up his book.

Rayla's smile grew. "I know." This feeling in her heart, this was all too familiar. This moment, maybe it was time? Maybe it was time for her to say something? Anything at this point. "Callum, we need—" she trailed off as she noticed his sketches. Or rather, the image he'd been staring at. It was the sketch she drew of the Six Primal Sources. But this time, each symbol had a small jot note beneath it, listing off strange traits. She noticed under _Moon_, he'd written, _Illusions? Invisibility, sub category?_ And it was like that for the other Five.

"Rayla?"

She looked up at Callum. "Huh?"

"You were saying…"

"O-Oh!" She smirked, opened her mouth, then stopped. The curiosity had beaten her. "Whatcha writin'?"

Callum's brows raised. "Oh! You mean this?" he gestured to his book. "Oh… well, I was thinking… earlier… how it'd be cool if I tried to learn the other Arcanums," his voice fell into a shy whisper, as if he was embarrassed to mention it. Rayla couldn't find the words. Learn them? "Like well, I just thought, if I managed to learn the Sky Arcanum, then I could learn maybe the Moon's? Or anything else really…"

"Oh…"

"Yeah, thought it'd be handy and well, now that you brought up my combat skills, I guess it'd be useful!" Confidence perked up in him as did a smile. "Of course, I still have to go through the trouble of actually learning all the names of spells and their symbols, but I feel like being in touch with the Arcanum is a good start."

Rayla couldn't help but stare in wonder. Callum always seemed to have a passionate side he often hid. But, it was very obvious to Rayla that he wanted to express this side more often but was just never offered much of an opportunity to do so. She figured with the stories he told her about his forced training as a prince, he was often limited in what he was allowed to do. It was as if the slightest tease of curiosity would peak his genuineness, and then, reveal this even softer, more precious boy. She had no doubt in her mind that he would be a great Mage.

"Rayla?"

"Sorry, what?" she answered, slightly dazed.

"You were uh… kinda staring… for a long time," Callum pointed out, wearing a faint blush among his cheeks.

"Oh, er, my bad," Rayla replied. She laughed as she began to rub the back of her head. "Um, an-anyways! Ya need any help with the Moon Arcanum?"

Callum raised a brow. "Seriously? You'll try and help?"

"Hey, don't act _so_ surprised!" Rayla feigned offence, pout her lip at the boy.

He laughed. "No, no, it's not that! It's just, last time, was more of a vague and flashy show than a demonstration…" he admitted, smirking her way.

She chuckled, shaking her head. "Fine, I'll give ya that," she acknowledged. "But I might as well an' try to help ya. In anyway I can at least."

Callum's smirk creased further upward. "Thanks, I appreciate it," he softly said.

His sudden drop in tone caused Rayla's face to faintly flush, but still managed to elate a large smile.

"But uh, it's the middle of the day, so…" he awkwardly laughed, nodding up to the sky. "I think it would kinda be hard to work with understanding the Moon more."

Rayla's face morphed into a small frown as she glanced up at the sun and squinted. "Aye, I suppose you're right 'bout that…" she admitted. "Well, what've you been doing so far?"

"I've thinking about what sort of powers and abilities stem from the Moon," Callum explained, pointing to the list of notes he had under the Moon, "And, it seems like from what I've seen, and heard from Lujanne, everything about the Moon is really just about the line between illusions and reality… and well, what really is real and what isn't. Like, trying to understand the relationship of what's really in front my eyes but also getting that what's not, isn't exactly fake…. Y'know?" he asked, cocking a look over to his companion.

Rayla blankly stared at him for a moment. "Uhh, no, not really," she admitted with a brief laugh.

"Ha, right." Callum sheepishly shrugged. "Sorry, guess it's kinda had to explain something that even I don't understand." He stared down at his book for another moment, then laughed. "Maybe I should use Dark Magic again." He let out a goofy snort then said, "I mean, being unconscious in exchange for the secret of Primal Magic seems like a good deal. Haha!"

A dead silence fell over Rayla as she stared at Callum with wide eyes. He was the only one laughing. He just, shook his head as he slapped his knee in pride. Almost acting as if what he said was "funny". But, the aching in Rayla's heart and the sweating in her clenched palms didn't tell her anything about what Callum said was funny. Flashes of a drained face, echoes of moaning and wailing began to run through her mind. She remembered holding a near lifeless, breathless boy in her arms. She remembered embracing her sickened friend, nearly shedding a stream tears at the sight. She remembered a moment she thought she'd never _ever_ have to have again. It was an insane rush of emotions.

"You're insane," she thoughtlessly voiced out.

Callum's endless stream of laughter halted at her sudden edge. "Wh-What?"

"What?"

"Where did that come from?"

"Nothing! Nowhere!" Rayla hastily shouted. Callum eyed her suspiciously for a few seconds before she cracked. "Fine," she sighed. "I was just trying to say, that you shouldn't joke about something like that." She threw Callum a stern glare as she scrunched her face at him. "Nothing about that is funny."

Callum's eyes went wide as he threw up his arms innocently. "Whoa, I-I didn't mean anything serious by it! It-It was just a joke Rayla. I don't actually want to do Dark Magic. I was just trying to joke about how after all that I managed to learn the Sky Arcanum." He let out a strained laugh as he weakly added, "I mean, n-no harm done right?" He developed into a shrunken form as he shyly looked at her. "Right?"

Rayla stared at him, blankly, shocked to her core. "I…" She wanted to say he has no idea what happened. She wanted to tell shout how badly she was shaken up about it. She just wanted to look him in the eyes and say how close it all was. "R-Right…" she forced out, edging a small weak chuckle. "Of course," she softly added. Rayla immediately rose up from her seat, and jerked her thumb over her shoulder. "I'm-I'm gonna patrol one last time. Just to be safe." She took one step and was quickly stopped by Callum's hand.

He held tightly around her wrist. "Rayla," he said lowly, "Talk to me." His hand slowly maneuvered down to her hand and entrapped his fingers with hers. "_Please_," he quietly begged.

Rayla kept her body turned away as her head sunk down. She tried to find the words whilst she swallowed hard. "Callum…" she breathlessly whispered, "You… you almost _died_…"

In that moment, the atmosphere dropped to a chilling temperature. Any reaction Callum could've possibly had died in his throat as his eyes widened at the revelation. He felt Rayla's hand tightened around his. Almost as if admitting this would suddenly cause him to slip away. He could feel her shaking, and could see her face, despite how desperately she tried to hide her pain. She looked sad. Far sadder than he'd ever seen her before.

"Rayla… I…" he bit back on his words as he stared at her. He felt her shimmy her hand, and he immediately clenched on. He reached forward with his other hand and grabbed her other arm by the elbow. "Wait, wait, wait," he hastily said. Slowly turning her around, he raised a worried brow as he asked, "What happened?"

They were both standing now. Both staring into each other's eyes, just inches apart. Callum could see the fear in her eyes, whilst Rayla saw his worry. With one, simultaneous breath, the two soaked in the moment before sitting back down on the log.

"I… I still don't really know what saved ya," she admitted, shaking her head. "But… but I remember what was happening." Another sharp inhale. "Your eyes were dark, like, _sickened_. I-I never seen anythin' like it. It was like they were sealed shut! You just… you weren't openin' them," she airlessly said. "Then…" she closed her eyes. "You _stopped_ breathin'."

Callum's eyes widened even more. Before he could even respond, Rayla continued.

"Ya were just gasping! Just, lying there clinging onto… I-I-I don't know what!" She threw her hands up in the air. "It-It was just, everything was so silent and all I could hear was you. Just… practically _begging_ for air." Rayla's head sunk down in her hands. "I didn't know what to do. I… I just held ya because I was scared. I-I thought, if I let go for second, you'd…" She managed to glance up at his shocked face with tears brimming her eyes. "I dunno…" she shook her head once again as she added, "I just wanted to hold you…" Rayla closed her eyes once again and held them shut. She tried to fight back her tears, but could only feel them building up even more. They were practically beating away at her eyelids, begging to be released.

Suddenly, a warmth encased Rayla. She opened her eyes to find herself wrapped within Callum's arms. He had her head rested on his shoulders and let her arms slowly find their way around him. "It's okay," he whispered, "it's okay." He continued to repeat the words, he said them quietly and repeatedly until Rayla responded.

"No," she muttered, "it's not." He slightly pulled away from their hug to look Rayla in the eyes. "Callum… you… you were nearly—"

"But I'm _not_," he sternly interjected. His face was serious. With a tightened jaw and a hardened stare, he said, "I"m here now. An-And I'm fine!" His hand made its way up to her cheek and stroked off a tear. "See? I'm fine." His smile returned, and he gave Rayla an earnest look.

Rayla couldn't help but smile back at his genuinity. "I-I know…" she chuckled. "I know you're here. And I know you're fine now. But," she let out a sigh, "That doesn't change what happened. That doesn't change what I…" she could do this. She could say it. She had to say it. "Felt…"

"You mean… being scared?"

"No-I… Wait, yes, exactly!" Rayla agreed. "I was terrified Callum!"

He nodded. "I mean, I get it—"

"No!" she hastily interrupted. "Ya don't!" Her eyes were filled with fear. Fear of rejection. Fear of embarrassment. Fear of the truth. "I… what I felt… when I almost lost ya," her voice dropped to a hushed whisper, "I didn't wanna lose someone I cared about." Callum smiled at her earnestly. Just before he opened his mouth to respond, Rayla added, "Someone I care about _a lot_."

His brows raised high as his mouth morphed into a thin line. "Oh," he squeaked out, dropping his hands down to his lap.

"Yeah…"

"Oh… huh…"

"Yup…"

"I… I…"

"It's alright!" She assured, shaking her head, nearly startling Callum. "I just needed to get it off my chest." A nervous laugh erupted from her. "It's just been… on my mind… for awhile—well since it ever happened—but none of that is important." She raised up from the log and cleared her throat. "I… I think I should really scout ahead." Rayla vaguely gestured a finer over to the direction she had supposedly come from. "I'll be back in… probably a few minutes…" she gently supplied.

Callum stared at her as she walked, wordless for a few short seconds. Only managing out a brief, "Okay…"

He watched her pensive, reserved face shun itself away from him—the same face he'd drawn many times before. He watched her hands wrap around her arms in a shy embrace. He watched her walk in small, hesitant strides. A million thoughts were rushing through his mind, and the only word he could handle was "okay." Callum stared in silence as he tried to conjure up any semblance of a significant meaningful thought. The mention of his unconscious incident brought his mind back to his breathless atmosphere. The exact moment when he felt the same amount of emotions running around in his thoughts. He remembered the exact words that changed everything after he awoke. The words his mother had told him.

Callum took a deep breath and rose up to his feet. "I care about you too!" he shouted. Rayla stopped in her tracks and turned to stare at him with wide eyes. "A lot… as well…" he softly added, a blush crept up on his cheek as his gaze slowly drew downward.

Rayla flushed bright cheeks back at him and shyly smiled. Courage finally building within, Callum raised his head and met her eyes. The moment lasted for a barely a minute before anyone decided to move. They needed more time to think, that was obvious enough. But it was enough to know that there was still a moment between them where they understood each other. Standing still, silently staring at one another. Their mirrored shy smiles, their hesitant words, it was all they needed.

For now, anyways.

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_**A/N: Sorry about that ending everyone. I know, it wasn't exactly ideal and kinda got thrown around a bit, but I was mainly trying to get to Rayla confessing to Callum her feelings. I'll probably make this a two-shot and continue this eventually, but not anytime so soon. **_

_**Oh yeah, so, I'm also participating in Rayllum Week. Between April 10 - April 17.**_

**_Day One: Fireflies_**

**_Day Two: Sunset/Sunrise_**

**_Day Three: Modern College AU_**

**_Day Four: Moonlight_**

**_Day Five: Illness_**

**_Day Six: Scarf_**

**_Day Seven: Dragon_**

**_Bonus: Confession_**

_**So yeah, I'm a bit excited and everything because I've never participated in a ship week before! So, I'll make sure to post a lil' one-shot everyday between April 10 to April 18 (oh yeah, I'ma try that bonus-have a feeling some of y'all would want me to). In the meantime, I might try to push out one more one-shot before then. But, I do have other projects in the works too. Quick self-promotion. I have a Miraculous Ladybug one-shot I just posted too! It's a Lukanette, so... sorry. **_

_**Anyways, with that being that, please, review and I hope you enjoyed!**_

_**Until next time,**_

_**Bleh**_


	3. Moonflies (Day 1 Rayllum Week)

**_A/N: Tada! Sorry for the long absence, but school is getting a lil' rough on me. I'm in a Writer's Craft, so I basically have to write short stories for class and it is rough to work with school deadlines. But, I did say I was gonna contribute to Rayllum week (April 10th - April 17), and so, I will! At first, I was confused as to why the first day of the shipweek fell on a Wednesday, but I still did it!_**

**_So, the prompts are:_**

_Day 1: Fireflies_

**_Day 2: Sunrise/Sunset_**

**_Day 3: College AU_**

**_Day 4: Moonlight_**

**_Day 5: Illness_**

**_Day 6: Scarf_**

**_Day 7: Dragon_**

**_Bonus: Confession_**

**_So, I had a hard time coming up with something for this but I think it works! Just, lemme know what you think!_**

* * *

**_Chapter Summary: _**_Callum sees Rayla in a more... beautiful light. Literally. So, of course he jumps at the chance to sketch her and the scenery around her. Just an artist and his muse._

**_Word count: 2520_**

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**Moonflies**

Rayla was, by no means, an artist. Sure, as a young elf, she had learned how to perfect her penmanship and trained herself to recognize and draw Draconic symbols. And maybe, to others—perhaps those who were unskilled—they'd consider her choreography as an assassin to be an art in of itself. Though it seemed Callum certainly thought it was a beauty to witness. A compliment he'd mention along with his flushed cheeks every so often. It was an endearing gesture Rayla secretly appreciated. But apparently, Callum found it so amazing that he had taken the liberty to even sketch Rayla in her natural state.

The young elf was completely overwhelmed with flattery, embarrassment, and a whole other assortment of emotions the moment she discovered Callum's sketches. It had happened during a late night sleep; she saw him passed out with his sketchbook at his feet. Curiosity got the best of her. There were pages and pages of sketches of her in nearly every scenario. Some were of her just standing or looking off into the distance. Others were of her caught in some sort of fighting stance, weapons drawn, wearing a hardened look on her face. And rarely, the occasional sketch of her sitting and looking pensive, looking almost relaxed.

Beautiful wasn't good enough of a word to describe the art she'd seen.

So of course, the next opportunity they had to some solemn silence, she brought it up. It had happened as the two walked alongside one another, with Zym eagerly prancing away beside Rayla. Casually, she mentioned how she found Callum's sketches to be quite beautiful. She was happy to praise his work considering how much of it was her, and how much effort went into them. His reaction to her words were a delight to hear.

"O-Oh, thanks!" he awkwardly replied. "I-I hope I didn't come off as…"

"What? Stalker-ish?" Rayla mused.

Callum sheepishly nodded as he rubbed the back of his neck.

She snorted as she waved her hand dismissively. "Callum, relax, I'm quite honoured you chose to draw me actually." For some reason, her heart fluttered at the sight of his smile.

"Really?" he asked.

"Really."

"Wow… so… you-you don't mind me drawing you?" he asked, more hesitantly.

Rayla smirked as she offered a thumbs up. "Not at all!" she assured him. He seemed to quirk up at her answer, which only made her press on as an idea popped in her head. "In fact," she enticingly added, "if ya ever want to use my body, just ask!" The words hadn't registered in Rayla's mind until she saw Callum's reddened face. That _did not_ come out like she intended for it to. "I-I mean—if ya, well, want to sketch me again! An-And well, I…I'd be willing to-to pose for ya!" She turned away from him and let out wavy breath.

"Uh-um, y-yeah!" Callum agreed, managing a small smile at her. "I-I'll be sure to let you know!"

Thankfully, the two continued their walk in silence right after. Most likely because neither were really willing to add onto their last conversation. Zym had sauntered alongside the two and seemed increasingly curious as to why they both were wearing such flushed faces as they walked. Regardless, the topic seemed to die there and eventually, the two found themselves more comfortable and less red.

Or, at least, until nighttime.

As Ralya prepped their camp, she instructed Callum to go and gather some berries for the night. Shortly after his departure, Rayla noticed how the scenery around them suddenly brightened up immensely. She glanced up from campfire she'd been prepping and turned around.

It was a swarm of Moonflies, all gathered around and flickering around her. Zym, who had stayed with Rayla, began eagerly jumping after them. With a hyperactive attitude and a drooling tongue, the Dragon Prince hopped after the swarm, startling the flickering lights and making them scatter. Rayla couldn't help but giggle at the scene.

They were small, fragile insects. They had six small legs and an adorable pair of wings to carry them. The coat of their skin was notably dark and purple, mixed in with some stripes of navy blue. But the real attraction to the little creatures, were the sizeable bright lights emitting from their rear ends. It was a shining white glow, that repeatedly flickered as they flew.

Simply put, Rayla found them to be—

"Beautiful," Callum's voice came in.

Startled, Rayla whipped her head back around to find Callum stood across the other side of the campfire. He had a large sum of berries in the palms of his hands, laid out on a handkerchief, and an awestruck look on his face. His eyes were wide with amazement and his mouth hung agape at the sight before him. Rayla couldn't help but smile at his reaction. Callum was always easily astonished by the flora and fauna of Xadia. That wasn't to say Rayla wasn't in awe of the sight either, she was just more used to seeing such a scene.

"Can I sketch you?"

The question had come out so abruptly Rayla had to do a double take before managing a response. "W-What!" she stuttered out.

Callum's face winced at her reaction, leaving him to awkwardly shrug at her. "I dunno… you said earlier today you wouldn't mind…" he trailed off as he began to look around her.

Rayla bit her lip as she replied, "Aye, I did." She wasn't sure where he was going with this.

"Well…" he steeled himself and found Rayla's eyes with a serious stare. "This is a good background." Rayla raised a brow. "I mean, the fireflies look beautiful, and with you in the middle it's like…" he raised a free hand and gestured an L toward her. "_Perfect_," he gleamed.

Once more that day, Rayla's cheeks flushed with red. She wasn't sure if he was calling her perfect, or the scene around her, but either way, the pit of her stomach was fluttering with some Moonflies of her own. She sheepishly chuckled as she rubbed her arm self-consciously. At the time, offering herself up to be a muse seemed harmless. But now? The way Callum was staring at her made her feel… weird inside. It wasn't a bad weird either. She only knew it had something to do with this pit feeling inside of her.

"Uh… yeah… sure?" she hesitantly answered.

Callum's face lit up like the insects flying around them. He instantly tucked the handkerchief full of berries in his backpack and settled down on the ground. He sat with one knee bent near his chest and the other looped underneath. Resting his sketchbook against his leg, he eagerly flipped open to blank page as he instructed, "You just, uh, relax and sit there!"

And of course, Rayla forgot how to relax so she just awkwardly laughed and slouched down into a cross-legged position. She leaned back on her arms and offered up what felt like a strangled smile. Thinking to spare her face from anymore intense heat, Rayla kept her eyes away from Callum's. She stared at everything and anything. Her eyes darted across the line of trees surrounding their campsite. They nervously danced around his outline—just barely managing to avoid his eyes. And occasionally, they made their way over to the Dragon sat on his other side. Zym had seemingly lost interest in the swarm and devoted his attention to Callum's sketch, wearing an excited smile as he watched. Rayla mimicked the Storm Dragon's expression as her gaze flung back to the swarm of light flying nearby.

Deciding to break the silence, Rayla spoke up. "They're Moonflies by the way." Casual conversation was good enough to get her mind off her nerves, right?

Not looking up from his sketching, Callum confusedly uttered, "Huh?"

"These lil' fellas?" Rayla nodded her head over to the insects. Callum paused his sketching and raised a brow at his companion. "They're called Moonflies."

"Oh." He had a look of surprise written all over his face as he took in the fact. "I had no idea there was such a thing!"

Rayla chuckled. "Yeah, lots of creatures in Xadia are often related to the Elements," she raised her palm as a Moonfly slowly approached her. "Moonflies only shine in the Moonlight."

Callum grinned as he shook his head. "Of course they do," he commented, returning to his drawing. He bit on his lower lip as he quirked up his brow. The pace of his hand sped up every so slightly, and the light sound of his pen skidding across the paper became more rapid. Rayla bit back an amused giggle.

She wasn't sure why, but the sight of him sketching was enough to warm her heart. The state of comfort and joy that he immersed himself in was something Rayla envied. He looked as if he was having the time of his life, pouring out his passion on a piece of paper. The faces he made, the show of his concentration and focus, were actually… cute.

Rayla's face heated up as she realized where her thoughts were headed. She was merely sat there, posing for her friend in a romantic literal moonlight. By the Moon, she really needed some help composing herself. Her mind was racing through so many thoughts she was convinced it was gonna run out of her. The smile on her face was suddenly supported by an overwhelming amount of nerves.

Since when did she get so easily emotionally wrecked?

"Well, for what it's worth," Callum suddenly spoke up, nearly startling the assassin from her own thoughts, "I think they compliment you perfectly. Regardless of their names." He raised his head up from his book and smiled at Rayla. The heat in her cheeks had no chance to settle as Callum turned his book around to show Rayla his sketch.

It wasn't like a mural or anything of a royal portrait. It was a simple sketch, no colouring, just a pencil and paper. But that didn't negate its beauty. It was profile angle of her, sat cross-legged on the ground, arms leaned back. Her gaze was tilted upward, a hint of glimmering interest in her eyes as they were transfixed on the swarm of Moonflies dancing around her. And the smile on her face was a smile she didn't even know she was capable of.

Rayla couldn't believe her eyes. Within the span of a few short minutes, Callum managed to create this picture of something she had never seen before. Or rather, something she thought wasn't possible. Not to pat herself on the back or anything, but the simplest description would be that she looked beautiful.

"Do… do you like it?" came a tentative, small voice.

The elf's eyes darted up from the book and over at the set of eyes that was holding it. Her heart nearly broke at the sight of his worrisome insecurities. The Mage's eyes were downcast as his lips quirked up a half-smile.

"Aye, I do," she softly answered, offering a sincere smile. Slowly, she crawled over to Callum's spot and sat right in front of him. She pulled the sketchbook away from the boy's hands and skimmed through the artwork in a much gentler, focused view. Her thumb hesitated its proximity near the sketch, knowing the possibility of smudging it was very high. "Y'know, you're very talented." She raised a knowing smile up at the artist.

A faint blush graced his cheeks as a shy, and somewhat proud smile fell upon him. "Th-Thanks! I… I'm glad you like it…"

"I mean, what's not to like?" Rayla rhetorically inquired. "The detail is just so… precise and clean. The Moonflies look so beautiful too!"

"Beauty is hard capture sometimes," Callum admitted, shyly shrugging. "The only reason why these look so well is…" he smirked at Rayla. "I've got a really good muse."

Instantly, Rayla's face flushed with red as a sudden chill edged down her body. It wasn't a bad chill. It was the type of chills one would get when something incredible had just blown them away. In this instance, she supposed Callum's compliment really threw her for a loop. The pit in her stomach felt even more fluttery than the swarm of Moonflies shining all around them. His proud, dumb smile elicited a smile of her own. Her body reacted all on its own. Which is why she didn't bother to stop her hand from finding his, allowing them to interlace and tighten. She didn't stop herself from caressing his hand with her thumb or from grinning ear to ear like an child. She was smitten, there was no doubt.

"Well," she finally spoke. "I've got myself a good artist too…" with whatever confidence she had, she winked at the boy with a smug smirk.

"Quite the pair, aren't we?" Callum jested.

A yip exclaimed from Zym, who had sauntered over to the two and tucked himself between them, right underneath their interlocked hands. He held an excited grin, tongue hanging as he happily nodded, almost as is he was approving of the two. They shared a laugh at their dragon companion, both reaching to pet him. As the two pet the young prince, Rayla's gaze flew back to Callum.

"By the way, if you ever need a muse—"

"Oh don't worry," he interjected, smiling back at her. "I don't think I'll _ever_ lose my muse."

It might have been the cheesiest thing he could've ever said. Seriously, Rayla couldn't think of a line any dumber or sweeter than that. But, with all the Moonflies flying around them, and the two of them under the moonlight, holding hands and smiling at each other—she wouldn't have had it any other way. It was cheesy, sure, but in that moment it was also the most _perfect_ thing Callum could have ever said.

Rayla laughed, shaking her head as she continued to thumb over Callum's hand. "Keep that up, and you might end up losing your muse," she joked.

Of course, she wasn't going to let him know her real thoughts. Not yet at least.

Callum snorted. Readjusting his grip on her hand, he tightened their hold and pulled her hand close to his lap. "I doubt it," he proudly replied, "I think I've done enough to the point where a reference's not needed." With his free hand, he began to flip through the all the pages, barely allowing Rayla a chance to catch a glimpse of the sketches streaming before her. There was just, dozens of them on every page. She'd seen only a handful before, and she knew he had done a multitude of them. Yet still, watching them flip past before her—it was a flattering sight to witness. Rayla wasn't always an easily embarrassed person, but Callum's sketches always seemed to bring out a new side of her.

She looked up at Callum and noticed his proud smile. He finally found the confidence to show her all of them. She stared him right in the eyes and let out a small smile. Only one word came to mind.

"Beautiful."

* * *

_**A/N: Whelp, I hope you enjoyed it! It certainly proved to be more lengthy than I would've liked, and the ending kinda fell flat for me, but I wanted to get it done and out with. I do have other stories to write and other prompt fics to prepare! Don't worry though, not every single oneshot fic will be a pining Rayllum, there will be some established Rayllum relationships later on and most definitely some during this prompt week!**_**_ Make sure to also follow rayllum-week on Tumblr to see other fanart and fics! _**_**S**__**o, that's one day down, get ready for tomorrow when I post the other: Sunrise/Sunset prompt!**_

_**Until next time,**_

_**\- Bleh**_


	4. A Sight to See (Day 2 Rayllum Week)

_**A/N: Boosh, here it is! Welcome one and all to day two of Rayllum week! How's going? Enjoying it so far? 'Cause I am! There's been A LOT of good fanart and fics as of recent. God, I love this community.**_

_**Anyways, day two, so:**_

**_Day One: Fireflies_**

_Day Two: Sunset/Sunrise_

**_Day Three: Modern College AU _**

**_Day Four: Moonlight _**

**_Day Five: Illness_**

**_Day Six: Scarf _**

**_Day Seven: Dragon_**

**_I decided to have more fun and do both sunset and sunrise. Though, I don't really know if I followed the prompt well, but I think y'all will enjoy it! _****_Btw, this is an established Rayllum one-shot._**

* * *

_**Chapter Summary: **Some people aren't morning people. Some people don't like it when the sun wakes them up. Callum isn't like most. He loves mornings, especially sunrises, because that's when he gets the best view._

_Of course, that's not to say Rayla doesn't have one of her own..._

_**Word count: 1,741**_

* * *

**A Sight to See**

As the gleaming sun dawned on Rayla's sleepy form, her face winced at the sudden contact of brightness that fell on her eyes. Not wanting to lose her sleep, she turned her body over, shutting her eyes firmly and leaving her back to suffer to the sun. A frown fell upon her as she realized her body was lacking another warmth. She slowly slipped out a peak, to which she was met with a smile and a loving pair of eyes. She opened both eyes and raised a brow at the boy rested before her.

"Uhh, mornin'?" she chuckled.

Callum had his head rested in the palm of his hand, elbow propped up on the grass, and wore the biggest smile Rayla had ever seen for someone who had just woken up. "Morning," he softly greeted. With his free hand, he maneuvered down to Rayla's, slowly intertwining their fingers. He always treated it like a delicate process, each of her's sliding between his one at a time.

"Are ya always this creepy in the mornin'?" she inquired. "Or is it only I who has the luxury of being creepily stalked?"

Callum laughed as he thumbed over Rayla's hand. "Sorry, I was just admiring the view." He brought her hand up to his lips and peck it ever so gently.

Rayla's cheeks flushed at both his words and his gesture. But, in spite of herself, she still managed to snort and erupt in a explosion of laughter. The small dragon that laid at their feet startled awake, releasing a small yawn of exhaustion and irritation. Rayla shook her head as she smiled back at the boy before her.

"Not even noon and ya already said the cheesiest, most dumbest thing ya could think of," she teased, squinting up at him.

He shamelessly shrugged back. "You love it," he shot back.

She snorted. "Ya've got no proof."

Callum's grin grew. "Your smile says otherwise."

Rayla grinned back at him. "I've got no idea what ya're on 'bout." Callum amusedly shook his head at her. She followed up by scooting closer to his body and pulling his hand closer to her chest. "I'm merely, 'admiring the view' in front of me." She winked. Callum's grin managed to grow even more. She knew how much he loved cheesy, sweet lines. He drew her for Moon's sake, of course he had a sweet side reserved for cute flirty lines. Little did Rayla know that she actually had an affinity for them too.

"So," she began, "ya got up early, eh?"

Callum happily nodded. "Yeah, kinda just, happened…" he mildly explained with a small shrug. "I gotta say though, you look very peaceful in your sleep." He chuckled. "Especially in the morning."

"Aye," Rayla replied. Her smile quirked up into a smug smirk as she said, "If ya wanted watch me sleep ya could've just told me. No need to be all secret stalkery about it."

Callum's face dropped into shock. "W-What? I-I'm not! I-I wasn't!"

Rayla snorted. "_Sure_ ya weren't," she sarcastically teased. "That's exactly how someone who was guilty of stalking would react."

"_Rayla_," he frowned.

A burst of laughter escaped from the elf before him. She giggled away as she brought her other hand up to her lips, covering them somewhat modestly. "Relax, I'm kiddin'!" she claimed, bringing an arm up to Callum's shoulder. She reassuringly patted his arm, smiling at him as she did so.

His frown shifted into a small pout. "Yeah, the smile on your face says otherwise," he accused, cocking a brow at her.

Her smile upturned more as she chuckled. "I've got no idea what ya're on about."

A sigh escaped from the Mage as he rolled his eyes. "Not even noon yet and you've still managed to tease me at least three times," he drawled.

Rayla scoffed as she pulled herself even closer to Callum. "Speakin' of, how 'bout we wait till noon before we head out?" she offered, thumbing over Callum's hand.

He raised his brows in surprise as he scooted a smidge closer. "Oh? _You_ want to relax and take it easy for once?" he jested. He smirked as she lightly smacked his arm.

Rayla pouted in response. "I'm too tired to get up," she defended. "'Sides, I'm also too comfy to leave." She closed her eyes and smiled.

Callum nodded. "Gotcha." He winked, though she couldn't see. "If it's any consolation," he added, bringing her hand up once more to his lips, "I feel the same." He kissed them again, smiling at how her face flushed.

"Great," Rayla chirped. "Now turn around, I wanna be big spoon."

::::

Callum hated sleeping in caves. If he had to choose, he preferred the outdoorsy, dirty grass over a rock hard cave for camping. He understood the values of having roof over their heads, but it was not comfortable for sleeping at all. Regardless, he still made do with what he had and propped his bag up, fluffing it like a pillow. He glanced outside, and smiled at the sun slowly setting on the horizon. He supposed being in cave mountain also reaped the benefit of a great view. It was beautiful, very serene.

"Hey," Rayla greeted upon entering the cave. "So the town I found actually had some more Moonberry juice, I got ya some." She grinned, passing one over to the boy.

His face fell for a moment, but he quickly amended it with a smile. "Thanks!" he opened the drink but stopped himself once he heard a yelp. He looked over and found Zym staring up at him with a pout. Callum glanced back to Rayla, who had turned around and was looking off into the distance. Quickly he tipped the drink down to the storm dragon, smiling as he watched him gulp it all immediately.

Rayla turned back at smirked. "Wow, ya finished it quick this time."

He nodded and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "Yup, so good!" he cheered.

Rayla jerked her thumb over her shoulder. "The sunset looks real nice, ya gonna sketch it?"

Callum chuckled, shaking his head. "No, that's a… I'd need pastels."

"Ya sure?"

He nodded. "I mean, I could," he added, "but, I'd prefer painting something like that instead." His smile quirked up as an idea came to him. "Maybe I'll sketch it some other time. With you in the foreground."

Rayla snorted. "Ahh, a muse's work is never done eh?"

Callum chuckled as he shook his head. "Not to me at least. Though, I am a bit tired now." As if to prove his point, a yawn escaped the artist as he attempted to cover his mouth.

The elf grinned. "Aye, I can see that." She nodded her head over to his bag. "Go on and nap, I'll take first shift."

Callum pouted. "But who will I have to comfort me in my sleep?" he whined. He crawled over to his bag and adjusted himself as he laid his head down. Patting the spot beside him, he said, "C'mon let's sleep!"

Rayla chuckled. "Love to, but someone has to keep watch at least throughout the evenin'," she reminded him. "I'll wake ya when we can switch shifts." She turned around and made her way over to the cave entrance.

"Fine, but after all the cuddling we had this morning I expect to be compensated later!" he called out.

Rayla rolled her eyes as she sat down on a rock. She figured Callum was a cuddler. Though the real shock was that Sse had no idea she was one herself. It was surprise to Rayla as she slowly discovered how needy they both were, romantically speaking. Not to say she found it bad or anything. They both liked being in each other's proximity; holding hands, arms wrapped around one another, or even the subtle brush of their shoulders. They liked being near each other. She loved it when he pecked her on her forehead, her hands, her cheek. She loved it when he tried to sneak in a quick sketch of her, thinking she didn't know.

And she loved how Callum was the same.

She knew she had traits that he loved. Things he found worthy of sketching, admiring. He'd openly compliment her acrobatic skills and swordsmanship. He enjoyed hearing her talk, she was certain of it. Often times he'd let her talk and she smiled as she noticed his smitten stare. He always had that twinkle in his eye when he was passionately focused on something. Whether it be his sketching or her, he always had that look.

Her gaze flew back to the boy resting behind her. She smiled at him. There just something about the way he was resting that made her smile. With the sunlight dimming slowly, it creeped away from his figure. It looked so peaceful. So pure. She always liked the way Callum looked when he dozed off.

His smile slowly creaked upward, like he was about to start the best sleep of his lifetime. His face always looked so content, regardless of whether he was face planted into his sketchbook or on the cold hard rock he so childishly complained about. She knew that he could fall asleep on anything though, just by the way he slept. He wasn't like a log or anything, that was all Ezran and Bait. When they traveled with them, they were the hardest to wake.

Callum was more like her. He could easily doze off whenever and wherever, so long as he was given permission to. But, he always preferred to wait for her. Rayla found it endearing. He promised he'd stay awake, keeping himself occupied by trying to sketch or by playing with Zym, but it was always futile as sleep got the better of him. Yet still, she loved how he tried to fight it. His head would bob up in retaliation, but eventually, he'd concede and let himself rest. Sighing contently, he would drift off, smiling like a baby. Actually, she wasn't even sure if Zym slept like that. So she supposed he had that going for him all on his own. Not to say she didn't like it.

She'd never admit it, but she liked watching Callum go to sleep.

"I can feel you watching me," his voice suddenly spoke up, "_stalker_."

Rayla scoffed. "I've got no idea what ya're talking about."

Nope, she'd _never_ admit it.

* * *

_**A/N: We all know what you're thinking Rayla. Or at least I do, I am writing her after all... anyways! I hope you all enjoyed this one! I know it was A LOT shorter than usual, but this is actually something I'm trying to stress more and more. This is supposed to be a collection of one-shots and such, so I think I need to focus a lot more on limiting myself and not going overboard. So, sorry if this lacked the usual descriptiveness some of you all might enjoy, but don't fret, as I do intend to make some long ones later on as well. I think the max I'll ever go is around 3,000 words (I say that, but I could go to 5,000 by accident real easily). **_

**_Anyways, please, review, favourite, and follow! Tomorrow's prompt will be College AU. That, that'll be a fun one! So make sure to stick around and stay posted! Oh, and, follow my Tumblr, blehblarghblah, and the Rayllum week blog, rayllum-week, for more rayllum goodness!_**

**_Until next time,_**

**_\- Bleh_**


	5. Expectations (Day 3 Rayllum Week)

**_A/N: _****_So, full disclosure, I've never written a College AU before so I've got mixed feelings about this one. On the one hand, this was very fun to write and all. But on the other, I'm not sure if this was good and very... AUish. Well, regardless, I still got to give credit where credit is due. The light inspiration for these idea came from Tumblr user fmayyy. They made a pretty sick high school football AU fanart, and I thought, I wanna envision Rayla in varsity jacket._**

**_And so I wrote this._**

**_'Nuff said, hope you enjoy..._**

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**_Chapter Summary: _**_Callum, a socially awkward artist, has been forcefully dragged to a frat party. The best part? His friends ditched him. Now he's got to entertain himself and make do with a terrible situation. The greatest part? He runs into one of the football players of his college's team._

_Actually, maybe that last part isn't as bad as he thinks..._

**_Word count: 5,909_**

* * *

**Expectations**

Callum wasn't much of a party animal. In fact, he was the exact opposite, he would rather not be anywhere near a party at all. Being cooped up in an art studio all day and night did that people. So of course, when Soren and Claudia hauled him out of his studio earlier that night, he loathed the fact that they practically dragged him to a frat party. He hated that they not only removed him from his safe haven, but they left him no chance to even change out of his outfit. So there he was, leaning up against a wall, arms crossed against his paint stained, blue v-neck sweater.

He shook his head and sighed as he glanced down at his body. No one could really notice his caramel pants, as they were covered by his large stained black apron. It stopped at his knees, and the Katolis crown embroidered at the bottom right, which was barely noticeable what with all the paint stains splattered around it. Point being, Callum was all by himself. Looking like a homeless painter. Of course, Soren thought up a brilliant idea and threw his varsity jacket over Callum, offering something to cover his upper half. But, it was way too big on him and barely covered his apron. He rolled his eyes and scanned the scenery.

A bunch of young adults, grinding up on each other, dancing mindlessly to eardrum bursting music and chugging copious amounts of liver lynching liquor. Yeah, parties were definitely not Callum's scene. Even though he hadn't drunk anything at all, he decided to head to the bathroom. Figuring that hiding out there might be better than literally anything else happening around him.

As he walked around, searching for the restroom, he contemplated the consequences of just slipping away indiscreetly. Sure, he'd have to return Soren's jacket the next day, thus resulting in him getting lectured by Claudia and Soren. But at this point, he'd take a lecture about socialism over being social himself. And even if someone caught him, he doubted that any stranger would stop him or even care. He was even more confident in that neither of his friends would catch him. Soren was too busy getting drunk playing beer pong, and Claudia was playing pool with her squad. No one would notice.

So, slipping out was the best option. Callum changed his current destination and made his way over to the front door. He hurriedly walked over to the door. The sooner he was away from this nightmare, the better.

"Leavin' so soon Soren?" a Scottish voice came from behind.

Callum froze up just before the door. How did _anyone _think he was Soren? He looked down and internally groaned. Well, he supposed if someone was intoxicated and looked at him from behind, where all they could see was the jock's name, he figured they weren't entirely wrong in their assumption. Shaking his head, Callum decided to ignore the voice behind him as he took one more step.

"Wait a minute," she said skeptically, almost sounding as if she was nearing the boy. "Ya're not Soren."

Callum turned around with small smile and shrugged. "I'm not indeed!" He looked at the girl and was surprised to find her donning a similar varsity jacket. She had the Katolis crown emblem embroidered on the sleeves, much like the jacket he was wearing, and a black shirt underneath that said _My Way is Better_. She tucked her hands into the pockets of her blue jeans and walked forward, leaving the hallways to echo with the sounds of her black boots stomping.

"So why're ya wearin' it then?" she inquired, shooting him a raised brow. Her tone was that of an accusatory one. Did she think he stole this jacket?

Callum let out a nervous chuckle as his eyes avoided her hardened glare. "S-Soren lent it to me," he stammered. Mentally, he sighed at himself. Stammering made him look even more guilty.

The girl neared him, stopping just a few inches from his face, staring him down. Her navy blue eyeshadow was actually really… pretty, and very well supported her narrow stare. Callum's eyes lingered away from hers as he noticed how her white hair had some light purple streaks, coming down to her shoulders. She was really, _really pretty. _Callum's face flushed red as he realized two things. One, she was really close to his face and two, he was staring at her for a long time.

"Uh-uh, I—"

The girl bursted out in a fit of laughter, holding a hand to her stomach as she shook her head. She was in a clear state of euphoria, giggling like a teenage girl. What did he do? He looked at her in utter confusion. Was he funny? Since when? He began nervously laughing with the girl, eyes darting all over the place as he wasn't even sure how to react.

"Ah hah!" she exclaimed, "Ya shoulda seen your face!" She snorted very loudly and proceeded to continue her pursuit of giggles. "Oh man… Soren did say you were a gullible one." She wiped a tear from her eye as she coughed. She actually cried, from _laughing. _

Callum frowned at the girl as he concluded that he officially _didn't _like her at all. Her laugh was obnoxiously annoying and her smug smile was the of one he wished he wipe off her pretty face. Internally, he berated himself. Who cared if she was pretty? Trying to remain defiant, he crossed his arms across his chest and raised a brow at the stranger.

"So I'm assuming you know who I am?" he inquired.

The girl cleared her throat as she straightened her back, composing herself. "Yessir. Soren's told me all about ya." She stuck her hand out to Callum. "Rayla. Quarterback," she said with a grin.

Callum's facade of anger—if that was what you could call it—faded at her politeness. Still, ever the skeptic, he cautiously shook Rayla's hand. "Callum. Artist." Again he mentally face palmed, because she literally just said she knew him.

"I know," she nodded with giggle. "I also know that you're the type of guy who'd carefully shake a friendly stranger's hand." She lifted their joined hands and smirked.

Callum snorted. "For the record, friendly strangers are the type who can mean the worst business." He retracted his hand and added, "I mean, if a stranger offered you some candy in a white van, that's a bit suspicious."

Rayla laughed. "Very true!" she agreed. "Then at least allow me to prove I'm just a regular friendly stranger with no ill intentions." She placed her hands on her hips and slanted her body to the right. "Swear it on my varsity jacket."

Callum smirked and feigned a pondering look, acting as if he was actually considering the offer. He settled with a blank stare. "I'll pass," he denied. "I was on my way out anyways…" he trailed off, pointing to the door.

The white haired girl frowned. "Booo," she shouted. "C'mon, why even go to a party if ya're gonna leave?"

Callum scoffed. "Because I didn't willing go," he answered. "I was forcefully removed from my studio," he gestured down at himself, "as you can tell. Soren and his sister are the kidnappers."

Rayla acknowledged his attire as she looked him up and down. She held her chin as she observed him. "Yeah, I will say," she shrugged, "apron looks cute." Callum's cheeks immediately flushed at her compliment. Rayla's brows raised as a chuckle escaped her. "Jeez, relax it just a compliment."

Callum cleared his throat as he crossed his arms. "Y-Yeah, I know. Thanks." Why was he did he make things so awkward? It was literally painful for him to even drag out this conversation any longer.

Rayla snorted as she shook her head. "Alright, how 'bout this," she tilted her head at him, "Ya stick around for like, fifteen minutes, and I'll show ya some fun."

He shook his head with a laugh. "Thanks, but uh, no thanks." He turned around. "My type of fun is more arts and crafty than your usual drinking and party games."

"Aww, c'mon!" she whined. "Who said anythin' 'bout drinking?" She shot him an offended look. "I'm sober, thank ya very much. And I meant just going around mingling!"

"All the more reason to leave," he muttered under his breath. He grabbed the doorknob and opened the door.

"Booo!" Rayla teased. "Ya're being boring."

Callum turned back as he stepped into the doorway, and shot Rayla an unamused look. "Well, you and I _clearly_ have different tastes, so…" he shrugged. "That's that. Nice chatting with ya." And with that as a close, Callum marched out the room not even considering how disappointed the football player really looked.

He walked out of the fraternity house, brushing past the partygoers who were gathered out on the front lawn for some reason. He didn't care, he just wanted to get back to the art studio and paint. He ignored all the catcalling people made and the explosive energy they had as they pumped their liquor filled red cups into the air. He just kept on walking until he got to the street. He let out a breathy sigh as he finally had some space to himself outside. Callum continued walking down the street, lost in his thoughts. At least until he heard a voice call out to him.

"Callum!" he turned back and raised a confused brow as he saw Rayla running after him. She was waving at him as she sprinted down the sidewalk. He wasn't sure if he should keep walking or wait, as he wasn't really up for more conversation but didn't want to be a complete jerk at the same time. "Man, ya walk fast," she stated as she caught up with him. "Ya should join track with speed like that," she jested.

Callum rolled his eyes as he turned around. "I'm only fast when I'm in a hurry to get somewhere I _want_ to go," he simply replied, continuing his pace.

Rayla snorted as she walked up alongside him. "Figured as much." She grinned at him. "Still, ya could've at least waited for me." She jerked her thumb back at the house. "I had to let my friends know I was leavin'. Because unlike you, I didn't want to be rude."

Callum shot her a bewildered look. "They ditched me _first_!"

"And revenge never solves anythin'," Rayla countered with a knowing look. "Ya're only spinning a terrible wheel of hate."

Callum scoffed. "Whoa. Sorry, didn't expect to be lectured oh so wisely this evening," he sarcastically retorted.

"What did ya expect?" Rayla curiously inquired.

"Drunk screaming, alcohol all over the floor and walls, deafening music, and inappropriate dancing," he listed off on his fingers. He turned his head at Rayla and smirked. "So far it's been four for four, at least until you surprised me. So congrats," he complimented.

Rayla chuckled. "Thanks, but that's not what I meant," she explained, "I mean, before Soren and his sister kidnapped ya." She tilted her head as a curious look formed. "What were ya doin' in your studio?"

Callum let out a content sigh. "Ahh, I was gonna paint." He frowned as he remembered how unfinished it was. "Well, at least, try to anyways."

"'Try'? How'd ya mean?"

"Nothing, just… a creative block," he muttered under his breath.

"This for a project?"

"Nah, just a side thing," he casually answered. "Nothin' too special."

"Booo," Rayla complained, "stop being vague."

Callum cocked a confused brow. "Sorry, just, I dunno, thought that the details are kinda boring." He shrugged.

"I wouldn't be asking if I wasn't interested," she defended. "Besides, I kinda wanna see what it is that's so worth ditching a party for."

Callum stopped walking as he looked at her with even more confusion. "Is that why you're following me?" he asked as she stopped as well.

Rayla grinned. "Aye. Soren's always talking 'bout your pieces and I've never seen them at our school's art show casings." Callum's brows went up at that detail. She went to those? "So, I'd love to see what the hoopla's 'bout." A chuckle escaped her as she nudged his elbow. "It's also a late night and we _just_ came from a party of drunks." She gestured all around them as she said, "Who knows who's out there? I'm merely makin' sure ya get home safely."

Callum snorted. "Appreciate it, but I'll be fine," he assured her, "My dorm's near the art wing, I'd barely be in any danger."

"Ahh, but 'barely' still means danger is afoot, so I'll be your bodyguard for the evenin'," she declared. When she noticed Callum's frown, she frowned back. "What? Ya don't want a bodyguard?" Before he could even respond Rayla cut him off, "Or ya just think I'm too much of a meathead jock to 'get' art?" She shot him an accusatory glare.

His eyes went wide as he stammered, "I-I don't! N-No!"

"Ya kinda implied it back at the party," Rayla reminded him. "'Different tastes' right?"

Suddenly, guilt crept up on Callum. "Look, I… I'm sorry if I offended you, okay?" he admitted. "I just want to work on my stuff, be in my studio and do what I like," he sincerely explained. "Alone…" he quietly added. He didn't want to be rude, nor did he want to ditch her completely, but… he wasn't exactly comfortable sharing.

Rayla's face shifted into a skeptical smirk. "Nah, I think I know what needs to happen," she said, "I'll kill two birds with one stone." She grabbed his hand and began taking the lead, walking ahead of him.

Callum was glad she was ahead because she wasn't able to see his red cheeks. "Wh-What?"

"I'm going to show ya somethin'," Rayla stated. "And, if I can prove to ya I've got a good understanding of art, ya got to show me some of yours."

"Wh-What! I don't agree to this!"

"Too bad, we're already on our way!" she laughed, leading him toward the Katolis campus. She hurried their pace, leading toward through the courtyard.

Callum thought about his options. He could've pulled his hand and hightailed it over to his studio, but she would no doubt catch him. Or, he could entertain whatever this was for a bit longer, then rush over to his studio. He settled for the latter, hoping that whatever Rayla had in mind wasn't too long nor too extreme. "Where exactly are we going?" he asked, because he might as well try.

Rayla replied, "It'll ruin the surprise!" And that was what she left if off with.

Callum frowned at the irony of her being vague when she accused him of the very same thing literally minutes ago. He had no idea why he was even entertaining this. Maybe he really was interested? Or it was boredom. He nodded at that thought. It was definitely boredom that was driving him. Or maybe it was the fact that he didn't mind her dragging him around. Regardless, he noted how nice it felt to hold her hand. It wasn't a firm grip—he actually could've slipped out with ease anytime—but it was enough to tug him along.

As he let her lead him around, he noticed how faintly familiar their surroundings were. Callum's eyes widened as he realized where she, the football quarterback, was leading him. "Are… are we going to the football field?"

Rayla sighed as she suddenly hurried their pace even more. "Knew I shoulda blindfolded ya," she said under her breath. She looked back at him and held a half-smile. "I don't suppose anything I say will change your reaction?" she inquired. When she was met with Callum's blank face she pouted. "C'mon, gimme a chance! I promise it'll be worth it!"

He should've said no. But he didn't.

So Callum found himself being led up to what he presumed to be the stairs of the stadium. He never attended a game before, so he never saw what it was like. He was surprised as to how big the interior was. Not even five minutes and Rayla was still leading him up throughout the halls. It was notably dark in certain spots, as if by selective conservation only every other light was lit within the hall. Finally, he and Rayla approached the tunnel.

It was then when Rayla released his hand that he realized she too had a faint blush. Callum could see a stream of light pouring into the tunnel entrance, no doubt from the stadium lights. "Okay, so, brace yourself, alright?"

Callum merely rolled his eyes. "I think I'll be okay," he sarcastically shot back.

Rayla countered with a determined smug smile. "We'll see about that," she happily replied.

Taking the lead, she walked out the entrance and stood at the end, patiently waiting for Callum. Slowly, he trailed down the hall letting his eyes scan out the scene before him. And boy, he was not prepared. Just as he stepped right out of the corridor, his eyes widened at the sight before him. An entire stadium, empty. Nothing for yards on end, just emptiness. The bleachers were so vacant, so devoid of presence that the air of the nothingness crept all over Callum's spine.

But the lighting, that was a whole other story. Nearly all of its focus was on the field, the bright, grassy green field. Sure, the bleachers had some lights, in between the rows and such, but the center of Callum's focus fell where he knew it should have. Where the light was focused. It was so strange for him to see something so captivating on something so empty. All this energy, all these lights, all these stands were presented toward a stage that didn't exist.

In simpler words, Callum was in awe.

He found himself gripping onto the guard rail, tightly. He felt a pair of eyes on him so he flew his gaze back over his shoulder, frowning as he saw Rayla's smug look. "Okay, yes, this looks amazing," he admitted. He turned back. "Just.. wow…"

"I know right?" she agreed. "C'mon, sit," she suggested as she sat down at a nearby seat. Patting the spot beside her, Callum wordlessly obeyed. "It's so simplistic, but a killer view eh?"

"It's contrast," Callum explained, eyes still focused on the field. "A lime green, white striped field, and surrounding it are walls with a darkish grey, with a burgundy border at the base. Our school's colours are very cold, dark," he looked around them, "Much like the shadows and dim lighting around us." He then pointed over to the field. "But at the centre, it's just this warm lighten up spotlight. But the irony of it, is how empty it is." He edged out a large smile as he looked.

This was a great scene. A beautiful idea.

A light whistle startled him from his thoughts. Rayla grinned as she began a slow clap. "Damn, well spoken," she smiled, "you truly have a way with words."

Callum sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "O-Oh, sorry, I kinda went on a ramble there, huh?"

Rayla nodded. "Aye, but nothin' wrong that! What ya said was very… beautiful," she admitted. Leaning back in her seat, she rested one arm behind her chair as the other fell onto her lap. "I sit here before the start of every game," she softly said.

Callum's brows rose. "Why?"

She shrugged. "I dunno, I guess… the view's nice." Her smile upturned more. "It's like, when I'm down there, there's this whole world of expectations and pressure. Hundreds of eyes on me, my team. Like, it's easy for me to lose myself down there. In the crowd, or in the game." She let out a content sigh. "But up here? It's different. When nobody's around and all I have is just this vision of what it really looks like to just see it all empty, I think it's calming."

"Because you're so used to seeing everything so full and energetic that emptiness is a nice change of pace," Callum explained, staring at her. "That's actually… _really_ beautiful Rayla." Her brows shot up as her eyes widened at Callum. Hastily he threw up his hands and shook them as he said, "I-I-I meant what you said! Th-That pregame stuff!" He coughed into his hand and silently prayed his blush was settling. "Like, I get what you mean. Having this view of something you usually used to be flipped around and shown in a more… intimate, personal light makes you feel good." He looked back at the field. "It-It's like having a show out in the middle of an empty audience, but it's a show that's got something to say even though there's nothing there!" Callum's grin grew once more. "It's saying that show is _about_ to begin, and you're lucky you get to see how it starts…"

"I knew you'd get it," Rayla proudly claimed as she lightly punched Callum's arm.

"Ow—what? What do you mean?"

"Nothin'," she shrugged, "But I told ya I have an eye for these things." She crossed her arms across her chest. "I've only started going to those monthly art showcases three months ago," she stated, "They're all so beautiful. So many artists with stories to tell, and I'll admit I don't get all of them, but I still find them to be pretty insane." She looked at Callum as she said, "All of these artists are tellin' stories even though not everyone can relate to 'em, but when ya the picture ya just… get it."

Callum chuckled. "Wow, I'm glad to hear someone appreciates it regardless." He shook his head as he scratched his cheek. "You don't know how many times I've had to explain to Claudia or Soren that the piece I'm making is about childhood, or loneliness, or hate, or vengeance." He rolled his eyes. "Not a lot of people can relate to those feelings, maybe it's 'cause they've never felt them."

Rayla cocked her head and shrugged. "I haven't felt much of those either," she said casually. She stopped and pondered the idea before elaborating. "Actually yeah, I haven't.

"So… you don't have a connection to your childhood?" the artist questioned.

"Don't think so," Rayla admitted.

"What about when you threw your first football? Your first real game?" Callum suggested. "Memories like those _had_ to have resurfaced at this," he gestured to the field.

Rayla's face shifted into a look of realization. "Aye, I suppose you're right." She pondered the idea more and followed up on the conversation. "And I guess I've felt loneliness and hate before trying to get into a football team." She scoffed. "I was lucky enough to get into my high school's all boy team."

"And now you're in a coed team!" Callum cheered. "That's a step up!"

"Yeah, it is!" she agreed, laughing.

Callum eyed her suspiciously. "But wait, even with all that gender discrimination stuff, you're telling me you've _never_ had a lust for vengeance before?" he skeptically asked.

Rayla shook her head. "Nope. I mean, grudges I guess but I've never really wanted to attack someone before," came the earnest reply. When she glanced over at Callum's face, she raised her brows at his blank expression. "What?"

"That's a lie," he declared.

Rayla feigned an offended look. "What? How dare ya! I'm bein' honest!"

"In a sport where you literally _tackle_ other players, you're saying you've never had the urge to get even with another dude?"

Rayla opened her mouth but stopped herself as she realized what he was implying. "Fair point," she replied. Soon enough, two burst out into a fit of laughter, holding their stomachs as they laughed to their heart's content.

Callum wasn't sure what it was, but Rayla's laugh was suddenly something he liked hearing. Earlier that night, he had an issue with how obnoxious it sounded. But now? He wanted to hear more and more the longer she laughed. It was very genuine, very pure. Very her. Much like her smile when she talked about this gorgeous view, he admired its vulnerability and how small it was. He eyed her with a small smile of his own as he watched her compose herself. She cleared her throat and smirked back at him. Why was he so entranced with her?

"Callum?" she spoke up, with worried look. "Ya good?"

He startled himself as he focused back in their conversation. "Uh, y-yeah! I was just… lost in thought," he answered. It was not entirely a lie.

"'Bout what?"

"Uhhh," Callum's gaze fell down to his hands rested his lap. An idea came to his mind as he looked back up at Rayla with an eager smile. "Wanna help me get some vengeance?" he excitedly asked.

Rayla's brows shot straight up. "What? How?"

Callum cleared his throat as he straightened his back. "Well," he began in a formal tone, "I was just dragged out of my studio, taken to an obnoxiously annoying party, then ditched all to my lonesome."

Rayla giggled at his story as he explained. "Aye, that sounds terrible," she chimed in.

The artist grinned as he pointed at the football player. "Exactly! Just _dreadful_," he declared. "Fortunately, Soren was bright enough to lend me his varsity jacket during his drunken despair and so—"

"This'd be the _perfect_ chance to do somethin' to it," Rayla concluded, wearing an excited smile. "Oooh, I am so in!" she cheered. "I love messin' with him!"

"Great!" Callum gleamed. He pulled off the jacket and eyed it with a raised brow. "Now the question is, what to do to it?"

Rayla smirked. "If I may?" she offered, holding her hand out. With a shrug, he silently handed the jacket over it the football player. He watched her stare at it with devilish eyes for a few seconds. "Step one," she announced, hopping out of her seat and kneeling on the ground, "grossify!" Rayla looked underneath her seat and proceeded to shove the jacket right under, pressing up against the bottom for a few moments, then pulled it out like a magician. She whipped it right out from under and stood tall and proud. "Tada!"

Callum's eyes went wide as he saw the once burgundy varsity, now covered in old chewed up gum and some questionable stains he did not want to know the contents of. He brought his hand up to cover his mouth as he fought a gag.

"Yikes," Rayla chuckled. "Strong gag reflex?"

He shook his head. "Not usually, but then again, I don't think I've seen anything more… ugh," he shivered. He stood up from his seat and crossed his arms across his chest. "What next?"

The devilish smile she shot Callum's way sent chills down his spine. With some hasty walking a few minutes later, the two found themselves near the front of the campus. Again, ever the skeptic, Callum was wondering why they were there, but he decided at this point keeping shut and following the football player seemed to reap no downsides. So, he silently watched Rayla approach the flag pole.

With a grin, Rayla proceeded to tug on the pulley system, watching the flag drop straight down to her feet.

"Rayla?" came the strained call, "What if we get caught?"

She snorted. "Relax, I'll take the heat," she replied, wrapping Soren's varsity around the rope. "This'll be a great thing to see first thing in the mornin'!"

"I don't have class tomorrow," Callum pointed out, "and I think I'll be too busy hiding to see this."

Rayla sighed. "Oh don't worry, Soren won't do anythin' to ya," she assured him. After one last tight knot, she proceeded to wring up the flag and jacket, with rapid pulling she giggled as she saw the varsity hang by its sleeves, just underneath the Katolis flag. "And besides, I said I'd be your bodyguard so that also entails handling Soren if he can't handle a joke," she reminded him. Taking a few steps back she sighed at her masterpiece.

Callum looked up at the sight and laughed. "I will say, it _does_ look hilarious." He looked at her. "A real work of art—maybe you should make something for the next showcase?" Rayla laughed and once again Callum smiled at her echoing laughter. "Ohh, please tell me you'll film his reaction?"

She brought her fist up and smirked. "Count on it."

Callum nodded as he bumped his fist with hers, smirking at the sight once more. "You sure you've never gotten vengeance before? Because for something off the cuff, that was pretty elaborate and quick," he asked with a suspicious look.

Rayla shrugged with a smirk smile. "Guess I've been harbouring a little bit of revenge against Soren for a while now."

"Whelp, glad to know I'm bringing out this new side of you," Callum mused. "Turns out vengeful you is pretty malicious." He crossed his arms across his chest as he felt a chill. He guessed his v-neck sweater wasn't as warm as he thought. Though he giggled again as he stared at the jacket above them. "To be honest, I think Soren'll be too hungover to even notice right away."

"Aye," Rayla agreed, "Five bucks he doesn't notice until noon?"

Callum raised a brow. "I'll take that action," he shook her hand. "Two in the afternoon."

"Ahh, after his lit class?" Rayla noted. "I suppose he might notice on his way out." Callum shrugged as his teeth chattered. She tilted her head. "Ya okay?"

Callum smiled and nodded. "Y-Yeah." He nodded his head over back to the campus. "Now, would you mind 'escorting' me to my studio?"

Rayla smirked with a raised brow as she dug into her pocket. She pulled it her phone and said, "Really? It's already a quarter midnight."

Callum shrugged as he began walking. "Well, I'm feeling inspired," he simply replied, "now you coming or not?"

Rayla stared at Callum with an excited smile. "Sure!" she cheered, running after the boy. "Does that mean I get to see your studio because I helped ya out of your block?" she eagerly inquired. "I mean, I did just show ya somethin' crazy cool."

Callum pondered the idea as they walk. That was what she meant by two birds one stone. She really was something else. He smiled at her as he said, "Maybe some other time."

Rayla pouted but sighed. "I guess that's better than not at all," she reasoned.

"Exactly!" Callum agreed. A cool breeze blew against the two and left the artist to seeth in pain. Looking worried, Rayla began to take off her varsity jacket.

"Oi, just wear this," she offered, handing it to him.

Callum's brows raised as he motioned her to stop. "Uh, it's okay, I can handle it."

Rayla frowned. "_I_ can handle it," she jerked her thumb to herself. "_You_," she pointed at him, "are clearly sufferin'," she blatantly stated. "Now stop being an idiot and put on the damn jacket," she sternly ordered.

Callum gulped his counterargument and nodded. Hastily, he threw on the jacket. He was surprised how well it fit him. It was then he just realized their size difference. Rayla was about an inch or so taller than him. The sleeves perfectly ended at his wrists and the jacket wrapped his body firmly. It was very warm, surprisingly comforting. He looked over to Rayla and smiled his thanks.

"Wow, ya look smashin'!" she grinned. "Fits ya well!" They walked in silence after that, shoulders brushing against each other. Eventually, she bumped her shoulder against his and asked, "Ya liked it right?"

He looked Rayla and chuckled, knowing exactly what she meant. "Of course I did." He returned the bump and nudged her with his elbow, "You've _really_ got a good eye." A very brief blush fell on her face, he didn't expect that. "I mean, I guess if you go to all those showcases…" his voice trailed off as a sudden thought occurred. He glanced a confused look over to the football player. "If you've gone to the past three showcases, how have you not seen my work before?"

He noticed as he stared, Rayla looked more sheepish than ever before. She had a faint blush on her cheeks and made a modest attempt to hide it. "I… I have seen your stuff before," she shyly admitted. "I just, I figured since ya never showed up at the events ya were kinda shy 'bout your stuff so…"

"You didn't want to mention it?" he confusedly guessed.

"I'm a big fan," she corrected, _very_ quietly.

Callum's brows raised high in shock. "Oh."

Rayla nervously rubbed the back of her head. "Y-Yeah, I… I guess I just really wanted to meet ya. So, when Soren told me ya'd be comin' tonight, I thought I'd try to find ya." She was really trying to avoid his gaze.

They came to a stop. Callum glanced up and realized they arrived at the art studio. He let out an awkward chuckle. "Well, I guess I'm glad you did," he admitted. "What a weird turn of events," he pointed out, "Never thought a football jock would be a fan of my work… at all."

Rayla laughed. "Guess that's another thing ya didn't expect tonight," she joked.

"Guess so," he agreed. Another breeze blew threw and Callum watched in awe as he saw Rayla's purple streaked white hair fly through the wind. That was another image he did not expect that evening. "Can… can I sketch you?" Both their eyes went wide at the question. He did not mean to say that out loud.

Rayla's blush grew even more. "O-Oh! I… ya'd want to?" she asked.

Steeling himself, Callum nodded. "Yeah… I think you'd look great," he held his hands up and framed a portrait around her, "A nice sketch. Maybe I'll paint you. Sometime."

Rayla's smile grew as she nodded vigorously. "Yes! I'd like that!" She crossed her arms and smugly added, "And maybe we can work on gettin' back at Soren's sister too."

Callum smirked. "Yeah, I'd like that," he admitted. He turned around and gestured to the door. "This is me," he stated. As he reached for the door he noticed he still had the jacket on. "Oh," he began taking it off, "here—"

"Keep it," Rayla dismissed, holding up her hand. Callum ceased his actions and stared at Rayla. "I wasn't kiddin' when I said it looks good on ya." She smiled, adding a sly wink.

Callum grinned at her, slowly nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah… and this gives you another excuse to come over!" he addressed.

"Aye," she agreed, "I'd like that." She started backing away, still smiling at him. "An-And, maybe it's a good excuse for ya to come to our next game?" she offered, wearing what Callum knew to be a hopeful look.

He chuckled, nodding at her. "I mean, my expectations have changed a lot… heck, maybe a football game would a surprise too." He grinned at her, noticing how her excitement seemed to increase even more.

"Great! Well, see ya around," Rayla waved. She turned back and walked off. Callum smiled as he saw the new bounce in her step whilst she walked.

"Yeah," Callum said, "See ya around."

* * *

**_A/N: _****_So... that was like, REALLY fun. I actually really like this modern College AU thing. I might make more later on, after Rayllum week of course. Actually, leave review about whether or not you'd guys would like that later on! And if so, what types? College, high school, modern AU about... I dunno, it'll be your suggestions. _**

**_As for the fic, I hope you guys did enjoy it. I just found it really fun to make characters not only interact more modernly, but also just play around with their new roles. And for the record, yes, the Katolis College has a coed football team._**

**_So yeah, that was that. I don't... really have much to say. Oh! Actually, make sure to read other rayllum week things and see all the fanart peeps have to offer! And follow rayllum-week on Tumblr, it's 'cause of them we're all doing this! Also, follow fmayyy as well, because, I was actually having a hard time coming up with an iddea and their post helped me a ton! So shout out._**

**_Tomorrow? Moonlight... ooooh, spoopy..._**

**_Until next time, _**

**_\- Bleh_**


	6. Moonight Troubles (Day 4 Rayllum Week)

_**A/N: **_**_I just realized I never really explained why my last fic took so long to post. I kinda forgot to do a quick proof read and so I tried to hurry it up after I came home from school. That said, i also want to point out that I do have to make sure that when I upload these, that both the Ao3 and sites get the exact proper versions. _**

**_ANYWAYS. With all the boring technicalities out of the way..._**

**_Moonlight. Day 4. This one was very difficult for me to work out. When I saw the prompt list, at first I thought this'd be easy! But then, as I started going over all my ideas I realized this was one was the only one I was lacking in something creative and well... entertaining. So, I guess I'll just let you read it?_**

* * *

_**Chapter Summary: **__Spooky things can happen in the moonlight. Darkness can rise, evil may lurk, and the unknown may creep about all around those who are unaware. Unfortunately, in this case, a mere Mage boy and his dragon companion are left to the mercy of the night all by their lonesome._

_Rayla? She's off having fun..._

_**Word count: 1,840**_

* * *

**Moonlight**

"Rayla, this getting old."

Callum found himself wandering very aimlessly late at night. He had Zym in his hands and a very tired expression on his face. He looked up all around him, and scanned the bushes and trees. A month had flown by across their journey and so of course that meant a new moon had shown. And, with a new moon shining high above in the night sky, that left Rayla to revel in her superpowered abilities.

The instant the dark clouds cleared way for the moonlight to shine, Rayla turned back at Callum with a childish grin. A grin he'd come to know as her mischievous and annoying side (of course, he said that, but deep down he found it to be quite adorable). Before he could even say anything, she chuckled.

"Hey Callum," she called out, pulling on her hood. "See ya later!" she laughed, activating her powers.

The artist frowned at the sight of the nearly invisible Moonshadow Elf disappearing into the shadows. Ever since they started… dating? Callum supposed that was what it was called. After all, two teenagers travelling alone, holding hands and such? That was dating, right? Either way, as time progressed, Callum realized how much of an influence he was on Rayla. At the start of their journey, she'd never even consider the chance to goof off whilst walking or even have fun. Getting the Dragon Prince to Xadia, Zym to his mother, that was the most important priority.

But now?

She was off hiding in the trees, giggling like a child. Callum rolled his eyes as he picked Zym up from the ground, holding him close to his chest. He sighed to the little Storm Dragon as he muttered, "I know buddy, I'm getting tired of it too." He continued to pet Zym as they wandered down the dirt path. "Rayla!" he called out. "This was funny the first time, it was cute the second, now it's just a hinderance."

"_Ah boooo,"_ her voice echoed from the shadows. _"Stop bein' so lame."_

He chuckled. "Ohh, the irony," he whispered to Zym, who yapped an agreeing smile back in response.

"_Hey, I heard that!"_ Rayla warned. _"Oh, ho, ya're gonna get it now!"_ A bit of rustling shimmered around Callum, and then silence.

He stopped in his tracks and stared into the direction where thought the source to be. "Rayla…" no response. "C'mon, we gotta hurry to the next town!" He let out an exasperated sigh as he looked down at Zym. No response came again. "Is she really gonna go this?" he rhetorically asked.

Zym tipped and shrugged with his two front legs. Callum chuckled, "That was adorable." He let Zym's head as he turned to the set of bushes in front of him. "Fine, if you're gonna keep goofing off, Zym and I will just keep walking to the next village in our own!" When she didn't say anything Callum quirked up a smug smile as he shouted, "And he and I are gonna share the bed! There'll be no room for you or cuddling!" Nothing.

Callum frowned with slumped shoulders as he kept walking. He was actually positive that'd work. Nevertheless, he kept true to his goal and kept walking. He didn't mind sleeping on the dirty grass, heck, he was actually getting used to sleeping in caves too! But, that was all thanks to Rayla's presence. And Zym's too, of course. They made an effective team of cuddle buddies, a trio of togetherness. That said, a roof and a bed in an inn wouldn't be so bad every so often.

The pair walked on as the deafening silence accompanied them. The parted clouds allowed enough of a gap for a stream of the moonlight to seep through. Callum looked up at the moon and sighed at it. If he understood the Moon Arcanum too, he'd be pulling tons of illusion nonsense just as well. Maybe he even better than Rayla's. But alas, he had only learned a handful of Sky spells for the time being.

A sudden chill crept down his spine as a breathy breeze blew from behind. Callum froze up as he turned his head around. Did he just… feel a breath? "Rayla?" Nothing. So she was clearly messing with him. The Mage rolled his eyes and kept on walking.

A hiss suddenly sizzled out from the treetops, echoing all around the forest. Xadian creatures like insects and birds fled from their hiding places. As if there was presence that disturbed them, like Rayla. Or perhaps a predator lurking within the dark. Callum chuckled to himself, shaking his head to rid himself of such foolish thoughts. Zym confusedly cocked his head at the boy's sudden reaction.

"Don't worry Zym," Callum assured him, "There's nothing of there. It's just Rayla."

That was what he believed anyways.

But as the night progressed, Callum's alien did not let up from the set chilling nerves that had been scraping down his spine. Rayla had taught him about trusting instincts awhile ago. She said, _"Whenever ya fee a sudden creepin' on your back. Run to me or get ready to fight." _Again Callum laughed, and again, the Storm Dragon within his arms shot him a look of worry. What if Rayla had just run off to go scout ahead? She had done it before—granted, she always told him before she left—but maybe she decided to mess with him by not saying a word.

Again Callum shook his head. "She's messing with us," he mutters to himself, though he tried to convince himself that it was for Zym.

"_Calluuuum…"_

Instantly, the boy froze in his tracks. That, did not sound like Rayla. At all. His eyes went wide. He was _definitely_ not alone. Had sounded like a withered, frail voice. What was he supposed to do now? Taking a deep breath, Callum kept on walking. If he could let this voice believe that he wasn't aware of its presence, he could surprise the stalker. But he still didn't know where it came from. He thought about using Aspiro to blow away the leaves and bushes, hopefully revealing the stalker lurking around them. Worse case scenario, Fulminis would not only light up the surrounding area, but also set fire to the scenery.

He figured Rayla would be upset if he caused a forest fire in mere self defence, but that change didn't the fact he was scared for his life. And Zym's too of course. He kept on walking, this time, his legs shook with each step he took. This was getting difficult. It felt like the set of eyes fixated on him were all over the place. His body had become overwhelmed with this sensation of nerves, this creeping alertness in there was a gaze glaring at him from within the shrubbery, the shadows. This… this had to be Rayla.

"_Calluuuuum…"_

He let out a nervous gulp. Or not. He felt a shiver in his hands and noticed that Zym had a worried look on his face. That settled it, this was _definitely_ not a prank anymore. Rayla would never go to the extent where Zym would be at risk of getting scared too. She was way too caring to even do that. It was like their hidden pact. Zym was off limits.

Should he respond to the voice?

"H-Hello? Any-anyone there?" he said in a strangled voice. Mentally, he facepalmed. He sounded like a total scared child. Clearing his throat, Callum planted his feet and straightened his back. "You don't want to mess with me!" he shouted, letting his voice echo out.

Another breeze came through and Callum shivered. He shook his head. He could do this, he could stand his ground. Removing one arm from his grip on Zym, he readied his index finger at his side. A quick Aspiro and he could distract their assailant, perhaps he could even stall long enough until Rayla returned. Ever the optimist, but he needed to consider all possibilities.

"_Calluuuuum…"_

Or running, running was an option too.

With that, Callum turned around and ran. "Rayla!" he called out. He sprinted as fast as he could. But he could hear within the wind, the sound of the leaves and branches shifting. Something was following them, _fast_. He just kept running. "Rayla!" he shouted once more. She had to be nearby at this point. Callum's face dropped as another realization came to him. What it they had gotten to her first? She was fooling around, she was off her game earlier. Anyone could've snuck up on her.

He had to make a stand.

Coming to a hard stop, Callum dropped whipped around and with his finger, drew the Aspiro symbol. "Take one more step!" he warned. He heard a branch snap from behind him. "_Aspiro_," he whispered, blowing into the symbol. He whipped around and focused the wind, leaving the trees and shrubbery to bend at its will. Worry overwhelmed him as he realized that nothing was behind him. His spell was dying.

A tap on his shoulder startled him. Hastily Callum turned around and was instantly met by a dark, nearly invisible, smile. Before he could even react, the smiling lips planted themselves onto his, silencing any possible scream he could've released. His eyes closed shut as the firm force made its mark on his mouth. He didn't even think about recoiling, as the presence of the lips before him felt so familiar, so warm. It was the type of feeling he'd usually feel on his cheeks, his hand, his forehead. The type of feeling that'd put him at ease, that would make him feel warm.

He opened his eyes and smiled against the lips pressed up against him as he noticed the face before him was visible. He pulled away and laughed. "Wow… I… I always thought our first kiss would be underneath the moonlight, but never thought you'd be invisible for it."

Rayla's now visible face, was red as her moonberry juice. "Ah… hehe," she giggled. "I… I guess I just needed to work up the nerve."

Callum laughed at Rayla as he placed his arms on her shoulders. "By sneaking up on me?" he smiled. A sudden brush against his shin caused him to chuckle at the Storm Dragon curled up against it. "You gave Zym quite the scare too."

Rayla chuckled. "Nah, he saw me when I first vanished, he'd actually been watchin' me lurk," she dismissed with a casual shrug. "I thought it'd be fun to mess with ya though." She began laughing as she shook her head. "Ahh, ya shoulda seen your face! Oh goodness, ya were all, 'H-hello?' Ahaha!" Rayla bawled out another bout of laughter. "Ahh… ya were so adorable." She winked as she placed her hands on Callum's hips.

He rolled his eyes. "Next time, I'd prefer just the kiss." Callum smirked. "And, maybe if you can work up to it, visible lips?"

Rayla sighed as she leaned close. "We'll see."

* * *

_**A/N: **_**_A/N: Sorry for not posting sooner! I forgot too! Anyways, I did say I had some troubles with this, so I had to come up with something. So, I thought I'd just make something silly. I don't know why, but i thought it'd be fun to see Rayla messing with Callum but with hidden intentions. I guess I just figured she'd be the first to make a move, but also really nervous about it._**

**_Anyways, that's all I got. Please, review, follow, favourite and come again tomorrow!_**

**_Until next time,_**

**_\- Bleh_**


	7. Sick (Day 5 Rayllum Week)

**_A/N: _****_yeah, I thought I could be clever with this one and go a more fun route but I think I kinda lost the theme a bit. Eh, we'll see what you think! Not really a lot to say._**

* * *

**_Chapter Summary: _**_Ezran knows, Soren knows, Claudia knows. Those two are sick on something that they can't see._

**_Word count: 2,573_**

* * *

**Sick**

"Oh my gosh," Ezran groaned. "Why don't you just go make out with her already?"

Callum started up in a shock as he looked over to his younger brother. "Wh-What!" he exclaimed, "Where'd that come from!"

Ezran gave his brother an unamused look as he raised a brow. "Seriously?" he asked.

When Callum stared at him wordlessly Ezran followed up by gesturing over down the courtyard. Callum's gaze followed his brother's direction without any hesitation, especially since there was certain someone who was stood in the centre of it. Rayla, outfitted in her semi-formal advisory clothing, had set of twin blades gripped within her hands. Twirling them effortlessly, she slowly turned, scanning her surroundings. Four crownguard, two equipped with longspears, two with broadswords. They were evenly spaced, weapons drawn, and slowly approaching the Moonshadow elf.

Rayla's eyes narrowed as she firmly gripped her blades and inched her right foot forward. The spearman in front of her flinched. He was easily impulsive. Smirking, she stepped forward and watched as he readied his spear for a lunge. But before he could even make his attack, Rayla pushed off her feet and launched herself backwards. She whipped her body around and spun like a top, readying her blades as she flew toward the other spearman. With no time to react, the crownguard simply moved his spear to block the oncoming attack, allowing Rayla to slash right through his spear and send him down to the ground hard.

As soon as she landed on her feet, Rayla turned around and prepared herself for the two swordsmen rushing at her. Simultaneously, they both arched their broadswords back—one aiming high, one aiming low. Right as they swung at her, Rayla hopped off the ground and twirled in the air, rotating between the two blades as the flew below and above her. As Rayla rotated in the air, she threw her legs out, scissor kicking both swordsman square in the face and flinging them a few feet back. She landed, back toward the final spearman, ears perked. She waited, she listened. A few steps edged close and she whipped her body around, forming an X with her blades to block the spearman's lunge.

Right as the spearhead connected with Rayla's blades, she clicked down on her handles, letting her blades curve into hooks and entrapping the spear. She spun her body on her right heel and threw her arms forward, flinging the spear out of the crownguard's hands. Simultaneously, she stuck out her left leg and kicked the guard straight in the gut, sending him flying back a few feet.

Proudly, Rayla flipped her blades into themselves, sheathing them as she stood straight and tall. After dusting off her hands, she hurried over to the beaten soldiers and helped them their feet, making sure they were unharmed and such.

Throughout all of this, Callum had his arm propped up on the table and his head resting in the palm of his hand. His face? Pure admiration. Ezran watched on as Callum let out a content sigh and batted his puppy dog eyes at his fiancée. This was getting ridiculous. "That," he claimed, pointing at his brother's face, "that is _exactly_ what I'm talking about!"

Callum furrowed his brows at his brother's outburst. "What? What did I do!"

"I literally just pointed at Rayla for like five seconds and you instantly just got lost in her… _again_."

Callum scoffed. "I did not."

Ezran made a blank face. "What were we talking about earlier then?" he asked monotonously.

The Archmage opened his mouth but stopped himself as he pondered the question. "Uhh… jelly tarts?" he guessed.

Ezran sighed. "Lucky guess," he muttered under his breath. "But that's besides the point!" he declared, wiping the smug smile of his brother's face. "We were having a conversation and you totally checked out. Three times already! And that's today!" Ezran shook his head and laughed. "Honestly, I'm happy you and Rayla are engaged, really! Like, over the moon for you! But, I thought the whole _we_ can spend time together?"

Callum's face shifted into confusion. "It is? We have been!"

"Oh really?"

The two brothers proceeded to exchange in a battle of shouting and bickering as Rayla finished assisting the guards she had just fought. "Nice work boys, but, not nice enough," she teased.

A few sighed at her remark whilst one chuckled. "One of these days Lady Rayla," he warned, quirking up a smirk.

Rayla laughed. "Until then, ya might want to invest in becoming a Sky Mage with all the air ya were hitting," she shot back. The guards laughed, shaking their heads as they brought their gear over to a nearby bench. Smugly smirking to herself, she looked over her shoulder and was happy to see Callum and Ezran watching. Or at least, it looked to be them watching, they were pointing at her after all. She turned back and chuckled at the disappointed guard stood in the entryway. "I thought ya said these were your best guards?" she teased, placing her hands on her hips.

Soren scoffed. "Yeah, well, they are to _me_," he pointed to himself. "And since Ez made me the Captain of the crownguard I say they're good."

"Then maybe ya should make them your guards!" she offered, clapping her hands together. "Ah, see? Problem solved!"

"They were—_are,_ my guards," he explained, "but since I thought they were good enough to be in my elite guard, I thought they'd be good enough for you." He glanced over to the bench and pouted with slumped shoulders. "But, it would appear not."

Rayla snorted. "Aye, ya could say that." She shrugged. "But also, as I keep tellin' ya, I don't need guards!" she drawled, frowning at Soren.

"I get it, I get it," Soren dismissed, "but it's protocol by the King himself. If Ez wants you to have guards then you get guards."

Rayla rolled her eyes. "Even if I don't want 'em?"

Soren frowned as he crossed his arms. "Why do you even want to be armed? You're an advisor," he gestured to her outfit, "You literally have no need to do anything. Besides, with guards you can focus on your fiancé instead of showing off to him." He nodded over to said man and chuckled.

Rayla glanced back and smiled at Callum. To which Soren rolled his eyes, he should've expected that. Her smile was lovingly sick and pure, as were her innocent eyes. Soren whistled over to the guards gathered at the bench and raised his brows, nodding over to the oblivious Moonshadow elf. They took one glance and shook their heads in disagreement, in synchronization. Annoyed, Soren frowned at his guards as he crept up on the unsuspecting girl. He removed his sheathed sword from his belt and held it upside down. He watched as Rayla contently sighed at Callum, tilting her head at him like she was lost in his eyes. Smirking, Soren hurriedly swiped at her feet with the handle, tucking her legs out from under and causing her to release a squeak and fall nearly face first onto the ground.

Luckily, Rayla was experience enough to react and catch herself from face planting. She turned around and frowned at the head guard. "What gives!"

Soren chuckled as he extended his hand to help her up. She accepted, albeit reluctantly, and stood up. "If you are like this when you're with Callum, how are you going to defend yourself?" he questioned. "That is why you need guards."

Rayla rolled her eyes as she dusted off her navy blue, thigh-length skirt. "Har, har," she sarcastically replied. "I was just… interested in what they were talkin' 'bout is all!" she defended.

"Then what were they saying?" Soren inquired, throwing a knowing brow.

Rayla opened her mouth to respond but silence herself as she realized she had no idea. "Uhh… me?"

Soren glanced over at the two and sighed. "Lucky guess." He pointed his finger upward as he stated, "That doesn't change the fact you were distracted. And if you can afford to be distracted, you can afford to have some guards."

"I wasn't distracted!" Rayla exclaimed.

Soren snorted. "Please, you're so lovesick it's actually sickening in of itself."

"I'm not lovesick!" Callum declared, rising to his feet as he slammed his hands down on the table. All eyes within the courtyard shot over to the Archmage and the King. Sheepishly, Callum winced as he realized the amount of attention he brought over with his reaction and shyly sunk back down into his seat.

Ezran scoffed as he looked over at Rayla and Soren. He smiled, glad that he got their attention, and waved them over. "Soren, settle this for me," he requested.

Soren happily marched over and stood firmly straight. "Yes, King Ezran?"

"Callum," he pointed, "is lovesick. Right?"

Callum instantly huffed at the claim whilst Rayla chuckled. Before he could even defend himself, Soren nodded. "Oh yeah, definitely. But I'd argue Rayla is even _more_ love sick than Callum," he jerked his thumb over to said elf.

"What!" she shouted. "Am not!"

"She's just kind, and endearing," Callum defended, crossing his arms at Soren. "And just loves to make sure I'm safe, that's all!" He flashed a smile at Rayla as he added, "That's who she always is. She just loves to protect and watch over those who need it."

A small flush overcame Rayla as Soren and Ezran dumbfoundedly stared at the boy. "You realize you just said you're someone who needs to be protected and looked after, right?" Soren checked over, cocking his head in confusion.

"And what's wrong with that?" Rayla inquired. "I think it's very sweet Callum's willin' to admit his own faults. He's always aware of it," she sweetly smiled back at her fiancé. "He's always passionate! And he wears his heart on sleeve and ain't 'fraid to express how he feels."

"See?" Callum gestured at her as he looked at Ezran. "She's literally defending me right now, how sweet and kind is that!" He turned back to Rayla and added, "Speaking of, you're the sweet one."

Rayla cooed, "Aww how?" She leaned over and pointed back at him. "By sayin' that ya're only solidifying my case 'bout ya bein' sweet."

Callum shook his head. "No—"

"Oh, my, gosh." Soren groaned. "Forget it, you're both _equally_ lovesick on each other." He threw his arms up in defeat. "Yeesh," he sighed.

Ezran rolled his eyes. "Listen, I get it, you're newly engaged, you've finally got the approval of both the Kingdom and Xadia, but man, can you guys go one minute without being… you?" When the two gasped in offence, the King scoffed. "C'mon guys, you have to realize it right?"

Rayla frowned as she grabbed Callum's hand. "Aye, I realize that ya two have a problem with me and my finacé for no reason!" She dragged said fiancé with her and muttered, "Let's get outta here Callum."

Soren and Ezran watched as the two stormed out. They exchanged a quick shrug then went on about their day. There was no convincing those two. They were definitely too lovesick on each other.

::::

Rayla had her arm propped on her table as she rested her cheek in the palm of her hand. Letting out a content sigh, she smirked as she dreamily blinked at the boy across from her. Callum was currently sat in the lounge chair of the library sketching in his book. He occasionally glanced up from his sketchbook, eyeing up the scenery around him with a wondrous curiosity. He was so excited to learn Ezran had renovated the library, and so he wanted to sketch the new layout.

Everything was cleaner, there were more attendants around, and a lot of the furniture was either refurbished or replaced. Callum was happy to capture the new design. And Rayla was happy to watch.

Claudia, on the other hand, was happy to smack Rayla on the head. They were literally just in the middle of a conversation about the latest trade deal between Xadia and Katolis, a conversation Claudia thought they were both invested it. Suddenly, the elf just trailed off mid-sentence, completely disregarding her friend as her attention focused on a certain someone.

She couldn't help but roll her eyes. She was not jealous, that ship had set sail long ago. In fact, Claudia was very happy for the two. She helped Callum with his proposal, gave him advice on what not to do and how to do it. In the end, she was happy to witness a teary eyed Rayla gasp out a very quiet yes to Callum's big ask. It was such a sweet and pure moment to watch.

Now, she wished she could use Dark Magic again to suck the life out of herself.

Because boy did she regret helping them now. Ever since they got back from their trip in Xadia, they claimed to want to spend time with their friends but either found themselves always around each other or were too busy looking at one another to even notice their friends. All in all, it was getting very tiring.

"Rayla," Claudia called out.

"Aye?"

"You were saying?"

"Uh-huh…"

Claudia rolled her eyes once more. Maybe there was one way to get her to talk. "Callum's sketching?" she offered.

"Yeah, he's real cute…" Rayla softly agreed.

Claudia frowned. "No, I… do you want to still talk or not?"

"Look how focused he is!" she squealed, slightly pointing at the boy. "Aww, his face is scrunchin' up! That means he's shading!"

"That's great… but, we were having—"

"Oooh, his lil' eyebrow went up, he made a mistake!" Rayla gasped. "Aww, the poor boy," she placed her hand on her heart, "he was so close now he's gotta erase."

"Unbelievable—"

"He's scrunchin' his face again!"

"That's it!" Claudia screamed, shooting straight out of her chair. Both Callum and Rayla were startled out of their trance. "I am done!" she declared, packing up her stuff. Before either one could even ask her about what was wrong, Claudia shot a finger at Rayla and said, "Why don't you just make out with him already!"

"What—"

With that, she stormed out the library in a huff, shaking her head in annoyance as she left. Callum and Rayla watched her leave, both staring wide eyed at the girl's sudden outburst. They eventually found each other's gaze and smiled with a shrug.

"What was that about?" Callum asked.

"Beats me," Rayla replied. She smirked as she walked over Callum's seat and sat beside him, wrapping her arm around him as she leaned close on his shoulder, carefully not hitting him with her horns. "How's the sketch?"

Callum proudly smiled as he showed her. "Whattya think?"

"Beautiful," she said in awe. Her gaze fell on his as she added, "Like ya."

Callum blushed as he began skimming through his sketchbook. "I think these beg to differ," he countered, referencing the pages and pages of Rayla he had.

"Nah, if ya ever drew yourself ya'd make something even more beautiful."

"How about we say it takes one to know one?"

"Aye," she pecked his cheek, "I can settle for that."

Callum stared lovingly into her eyes as he slid his fingers into hers, wrapping softly around them. "If I had to be lovesick, I'm glad it's on you."

* * *

_**A/N: **_**_I hope you liked it! I just always thought when the two get engaged they become THAT couple. So, of course I wanted to try capturing that. This was the first time I've ever written Ezran, Soren, and Claudia before. It was nice to have them around and write them all friendly like. _**

**_In case you're wondering, this is obviously post-war and alls well and good. I haven't worked out the logistics of what happened because I don't want to touch canon. So... feel free to imagine to your own desires! _**

**_This came out late because Google Docs was being iffy and wouldn't let me load on my phone or computer, so editing it was rough. And then I had a whole family thing so... it just came out late. Again, sorry._**

**_Tomorrow is scarf. nothing clever this time, trust me._**

**_Until next time,_**

**_\- Bleh_**


	8. Scars Within Scarves (Day 6 Rayllum)

_**A/N: **_**_So, this was a strange one. I originally left this one to write last because I actually thought it'd be a simple concept at first. I was going to make it a wholesome and fluffy but no. I decided... no..._**

**_enjoy..._**

* * *

**_Chapter Summary: _**_Sometimes things bear more meaning than we think. Through some heartfelt tears, Rayla learns what that means._

_**Word Count: 2,226**_

* * *

**Scars Within the Scarves**

"Why do ya wear that scarf all the time?" Rayla suddenly asked.

Callum raised a brow as he turned over in the bed, directing his confusion toward the elf. "What?" his time had come out a bit cold, but he amended himself by softly saying, "What brought that on?"

The room was dimly lit, with only a dying lamp rested on the nightstand. Zym was rested on the foot of the bed, sleeping soundly. The room wasn't chilly in the slightest and even if that were a factor, they had a blanket. The motel they were staying at was in a region close to the border, a generally fairly warm area. So with all these facts in mind, Rayla furrowed her brows in confusion as she noticed Callum going to bed with her whilst still donning on his red scarf. It was her turn to be big spoon for the night, and as she cuddled close to the Mage she noticed the red scarf flapped down in front of her face. It was then that she realized he had been wearing it _every _single second of every day since they met.

So she couldn't help but wonder about it.

"I mean, we're in bed," Rayla addressed, "I just thought it'd be uncomfortable or somethin'." She shrugged. "Like, don't ya get hot in that?"

Callum shrugged back, fighting back a frown. "No, not at all."

"So, ya get cold easily then?" she inquired.

"No," Callum denied, "I just, I'm fine!" He nestled around in his spot and smirked at Rayla. "See? I'm practically like Zym," he said confidently. "It makes me feel…" a sudden crestfallen look overcame him and worry quickly dropped within Rayla, "comfortable." His voice soft spoken, hesitant and quiet.

She knew that tone. He had the exact same tone when he talked about his dad's death. This concept of vulnerability and fear all laced within a small voice. A small boy who looked too afraid to let out all his emotions at the cost of staying strong for his little brother. The look of anguish and sadness that had briefly swept him told Rayla the main idea of the story that was buried behind his history. That scarf meant something to him. Deeply in every way.

Rayla managed a smile. "That's good," she nodded, bringing her hand down to his, "Feelin' comfortable is nice."

Callum smiled at her. Of course she understood. He tightened his hold on her hand and brought it up between their chests. "Thanks," he quietly muttered.

Rayla winked. "No problem," she whispered. "Now c'mon, we need to hit the hay and I need a big spoon." She released her hand from Callum's as she turned around, scooting back into him. She curled her legs up and adjusted herself comfortably. He knew it wasn't his turn, but he owed her.

Callum smirked. "I got you." He wrapped his arm around Rayla's stomach and pulled her close to his chest. He made sure to tuck his head down low to avoid Rayla's horns, then kissed the back of her neck. With a simultaneous sigh, the two closed their eyes and allowed the slumber to take them.

A solemn silence suppressed the room for a few mere moments. Callum's eyes were wide open. He was still holding Rayla, tightly, closely, to his chest. He looked up from her head and smirked at her horns. Though they were a hassle for nights when he wanted to cuddle, he didn't hate them. In fact, he found them to be downright adorable. Still, being the little spoon was really enjoyable. But he quickly realized the issue within their relationship was that both of them wanted to be the little spoon.

He loved that reached a compromise though. Rayla first offered switching after the first half of every week, and she allowed Callum to have the extra four day. He of course denied the offer and suggested they just switch every night. Things like that made him notice how kind and understanding Rayla was. Nights where he wanted to stay up because he had a sketch he wanted to finish before turning in, Rayla would reluctantly allow him but also would stay up with him, keeping watch over him just in case. Whenever Callum was feeling parched or snackish, Rayla would eagerly pass him a bottle of her moonberry juice or rush off to get some berries.

Callum appreciated that she was always willing to help him in anyway. He made sure to exert the same effort in return. He always made sketches of her to show off and make her feel happy and warm inside, because he knew that it had that effect on her. He always made sure to carry everything and Zym, just so she was ready for anything. Also because he had to do something with himself. He tried to do anything to help. Whenever they had time to stay at motels in towns, Callum would don on his cloak and try to rent a room for the night, acting like an elf. They even attempted a date once in a shop, which was awkward, but very much sweet, to say the least.

Rayla would obviously comment later that his impersonation was downright atrocious, but she appreciated him making an attempt to blend in. In every regard though, Callum knew Rayla was equally appreciative of the efforts he made. But Callum knew that wasn't enough.

Honesty was the biggest thing in their relationship right now.

So, he owed her that much. "Rayla?" he whispered. "You awake?"

"Aye," she softly replied.

"Okay." He took a deep breath. "My mom knitted it," he explained. Instantly, Rayla turned around, eyes locked on the boy as her hand returned to his. He managed a small smile. "It was going to be my birthday present for that year…" his voice cracked and his vision suddenly overcome with blurriness. "But… I… we… she—"

"It's okay," Rayla whispered, bringing her free hand up to his cheek, cupping it softly. "It's okay, I get it," she nodded. "Ya don't have to say it."

Callum shook his head. "No, I can, it's… it's behind me," he nodded. Taking a big gulp, he tightened his grip on Rayla's hand. "After we… lost her, my dad talked to me in private. I was young at the time so he tried to explain it as gently as possible. He said he wanted to talk about life… and how that sometimes, there's changes that happen that we just don't expect…" Callum's small smile fell. "I… I remember when he told me, I-I first just felt… confused." He let out a chuckle. "It set in very quickly afterward. There was just… an emptiness all of a sudden. Like… all the warmth inside me just suddenly went cold and I couldn't even feel anything. I felt cold, I felt empty, I-I didn't even understand what I was feeling at the time."

He took another deep breath. "The amount of cold I felt, I just… I was in pain. Everyday from then on I was just wallowing in darkness, sadness, just…" he swallowed hard, "empty." Shaking his head, Callum closed his eyes. Tears began to swell up within them. He remembered that time all too well. "I avoided Ezran for a while, my dad, everyone. I didn't eat much and I couldn't even bring myself to sleep because I cried all the time. I was just… exhausted. Physically and mentally. It hurt to even walk down the halls because I'd always see her. Everyone thought I was too young to understand but I was old enough to know how emptiness felt like."

Rayla pouted as she brought Callum's hand up to her lips, pecking it softly as she thumbed over it. With her other hand, she wiped away a tear as it streamed down his cheek. "It's okay…" she whispered. "It's okay…"

Callum shook his head and smiled at Rayla. "It was bad for awhile… until my dad told me he was cleaning out some of my mom's things." He cleared his throat. "At first, I was mad, like, how could he just get rid of it all so quickly? But… he explained that he was only moving it into storage. He thought it'd be a good idea if I helped. At the time, I didn't get it… at least until we dug through her wardrobe."

::::

"Hey! Callum, look at this!" Harrow called out. Callum looked over his shoulder and found the King to be holding a small sky blue blanket. "Your mother told me she held you in this when you were a baby!" A laugh escaped him as he shook the blanket. "Ahh, I wish I had seen that."

Callum stared at it with a confused look. "Why does she still have that?"

Harrow's smile slightly fell. "Well, because she liked it," he walked over to the young boy, folding up the blanket in his arms. "And because she liked it so much she wanted to keep it." He knelt down before his stepson and gestured the blanket toward him. "Some things are just worth keeping sometimes… because they can bear a great deal of meaning behind it."

Callum looked down at the blanket and frowned. It was nothing. Just a blue, baby blanket. Ezran already had a blanket. It wasn't his mom. This was useless to Callum. It was just something that used to be useful to him. He shook his head and turned around. "I'm going to go through the bottom drawer," he pointed over to her wardrobe as he wandered over.

Harrow sighed as he dropped his shoulders. His gaze flew over to the small portrait painting he had on above the fireplace, it was rested on the mantle. He sadly smiled at the picture and muttered under his breath, "I'm trying, Sarai." He looked back at Callum and watched as he sorted through the drawer. He hoped there weren't any unmentionables lying there, as he was not prepared for any conversations of that regard at the moment.

"King Harrow?" Callum's small voice called out.

Harrow immediately raised his head and looked at Callum. "Yes, Callum?"

"Why does Mom have this?" he turned around, and thankfully, he had a red scarf in his hands.

A sigh of relief escaped the King as he approached the boy. "Oh uh…" His gaze fell down as a smile formed on his lips, the realization had set in. "She made it…" he whispered, "of course she did."

Callum's brows raised. "What? What is this?"

King Harrow chuckled as he knelt down, placing his hand on his shoulder he said, "That, my boy, was going to be your birthday present this year."

Callum's eyes went wide. "Really?"

Harrow grinned. "Really."

His stepson gasped as he began feeling the material. It was soft, like a plush toy. He hesitantly unravelled the cloth, and stare at it in awe. Proportionally, it looked big. Like it could cover his entire face. He moved to wrap it around his neck but stopped, and looked up at the King. "C-Can I?"

Harrow happily nodded. "Of course."

Eagerly, Callum began wrapping the scarf around his neck, looping around him as many times as he could. Eventually, he found himself with a massive pile up of cloth bunched up against his face. Harrow chuckled at the display whilst Callum struggled to find himself a gap to breathe. It… it was warm. He breathed in the scent and his eyes began to water within an instant. Harrow's enjoyment ceased as worry sunk in.

"Wh-What's wrong! Callum?"

Callum looked up at Harrow, leaving the scarf to fall down to his neck. With big emerald eyes he blinked up at his stepdad, fighting back his tears as his lip quivered. "Can I… keep this…" he softly mumbled.

Harrow stared at his boy with wide eyes as he slowly raised a brow in confusion. "Wh-why? I-I mean, you can. Of course you can!" he quickly answered, nodding his head. "You… you like it?" he hopefully smiled.

Callum nodded. In a quiet, small voice, he whispered, "It smells like Mom…"

::::

Rayla began sniffling, with a shaky laugh, she wiped a few tears from her eyes. "Wow… that's… that's the sweetest thing I've ever heard." She smirked. "And ya've said some pretty sweet things to me so far."

Callum chuckled, wiping a tear from his eyes with a grin. "Heh, yeah… I suppose I got it from her."

Rayla nodded. "I bet ya did."

He smirked as he adjusted his scarf, bringing it up to his chin. "It still smells like her… or at least, I think it does."

"Good, 'cause if it still did I think that means ya don't wash it," Rayla joked, laughing.

Callum laughed. "Naah… it's more like, it feels like it's her. Like I always have her with me. It makes me feel safe." His gaze softly widened at Rayla's violet eyes. "Well, safer than I already feel with you."

"I'm glad I can make ya extra safe then," Rayla cooed. She moved up to Callum's forehead and pressed her lips against it softly.

He sighed. "She would've loved you."

The Moonshadow Elf's eyes brightened as her cheeks flushed as red as Callum's scarf. "R-Really?"

Callum nodded.

"I'd swear it on my scarf."

* * *

_**A/N: **_**_How was it? I hope it was sad, but also fun. I wasn't gunning for angst but more so just light sadness and fluff. Because I think Rayllum is such a good relationship that they would be open with things like these so easily._**

**_Whelp, tomorrow's Dragon. What it gonna be?_**

**_Until next time,_**

**_\- Bleh_**


	9. New Addition (Day 7 Rayllum Week)

**_A/N: _****_Hehe, this went a different direction in writing. I was going to make it about Zym originally, but I decided against it last minute and changed it up! So... without further ado..._**

* * *

_**Chapter Summary: **_

_**Word Count: 1,952**_

* * *

**New Addition**

"I want another one."

Rayla moved her head up from her book and furrowed a brow at her husband. He was stood at his easel, currently sketching out another portrait of Rayla. She noticed that his gaze was focused out the window, almost as if he was looking off into the distance. Rayla turned the page of her book and lowered her gaze, asking, "Another what?"

"Another one!" he repeated, excitement pouring out of him as he turned to his wife. He placed his hand on his hips and grinned at her. "Y'know," he wordlessly gestured out the window.

Confused, Rayla put her book down as she directed her attention outside. She smiled at the sight. In the courtyard, there were two kids. A boy and girl, each with white hair, running around with sticks in their hands, arming themselves as if they were swords. The boy, who had a lengthy amount of hair that nearly fell at his shoulders, wore dark blue pants with a maroon sweatshirt. The girl, with disheveled short hair—by choice apparently—spun the stick on her fingers with an excited smile. She wore a navy blue robe that stopped at her knees, and maroon fingerless gloves. Lianand Isha, their little halfling children.

Rayla's eyes widened as the realization hit her. "Oooh no!" she denied, shaking her head. "Nope, nope, nope!" She vigorously shook her hands. "No thank ya." She threw a pointed at a the Archmage and said, "If ya want another one then ya can either push it yourself or magic one up! Otherwise? We're a four person family!"

Callum laughed as he walked over to Rayla. "Right, right, I'm sorry." He knelt down and smiled. "That'd be cruel."

"Exactly." She closed her eyes with vigor.

"Buuuut," Callum smirked. "Just so we're clear, you'd be fine with any addition to our family so long as you don't have to birth them?"

"Exac—" Rayla stopped herself when it dawned on her. She instantly opened her eyes and hastily said, "W-Wait! No!" She shook her head. "Callum—"

He instantly backed away and threw off his apron. "Too late you already said yes earlier!" he shouted as he ran out the room.

Rayla ran up to the window and pushed it open. She watched as he ran down the street and shouted, "Ya better not create some magic baby!" She frowned as he continued running, most definitely because he tuned her out. She looked at her kids and noticed their confused looks. "Your dad's just being silly. Again."

::::

"Mum, why isn't Dad home yet?" Lian asked as he placed the last bowl on the table.

"Aye," Isha chimed in, "he left hours ago and hasn't returned yet." She began placing the cutlery and frowned as she spared a glance outside the window. "We don't get to stay at the cottage much."

"Yea!" he younger brother agreed.

"I know," Rayla muttered. She continued to stir the pot, tuning it her children's endless complaints.

"And he promised to show me another spell!" Isha added.

"Yeah!"

"I know," Rayla sighed.

"And he said he was going to do another family portrait!" Isha reminded.

"Yeah!"

"I know _dear_," Rayl groaned. She lifted the spoon up to her mouth and tasted it. She wasn't sure if it was because of her attitude, but her stew tasted more bitter than usual.

Isha's voice fell to a whisper, "And Dad's cooking is better…"

"I _know_!" Rayla shrieked. She turned around and frowned at her kids. "This ain't easy y'know?" She crossed her arms at their blank faces.

"But Dad taught us," Isha countered.

"Yeah!" Lian agreed. "He also told us not to let you near the kitchen."

Rayla smirked. "Ya know what? Ya lot might want some more meat in your stew, how else are ya gonna be big strong trolls?" she teased, pointing a spoon at her daughter.

Isha stuck her tongue out at her mom. "Ya're just jealous because we can cook!" she proudly declared.

Rayla laughed as she shook her head. She turned back to her stew and continued working on it, deciding adding some more spices might liven up the taste. But she swore that the first five would've done so. "Ya cook one omelette and suddenly Ya're all world renowned chefs."

"The chefs back at the castle like our eggs!" Lian addresses. "Gerald always says, "We've got the makings of a true chef!'" he pinched his fingers together as he mimicked his accent.

Isha rolled her eyes. "That aside, why don't ya let us cook?"

"'Cause I'd appreciate it if we didn't get your Uncle Ez mad because we burned down the family cottage," Rayla shot back.

"But ya can supervise?" Isha offered. "Dad and Chef Gerald always did that. And we made some good breakfasts!"

Rayla frowned, though her daughter couldn't see it. "Breakfast for dinner isn't good. And what's wrong with stew? Ya put enough of anything and it'll taste good!" She turned around and offered a spoonful toward her daughter.

She recoiled in disgust and backed away, raising her hands in fear. "If it's all the same with ya Mum, I think Lian and I'll wait till Da comes home."

A sudden sound of the door swinging open drew everyone's attention away from the food. "Honey, I'm home!" Callum announced in sing song.

Rayla rolled her eyes. Of course he'd enter like that. She watched as her children's expression lit up with excitement. She waved them off. "Yeah, yeah, go run to your father," she said monotonously, "Ya babies."

Isha laughed as she followed her younger brother out the dining room. Rayla chuckled to herself as she listened to the pitter patter of their feet. They always loved running, and Rayla loved that energy. Rayla was similar when she was younger, so she was happy to see a lot of herself in her kids—aside from their ears and small horns of course. That said, she knew that they had some sort of secret alliance with Callum that made them want to tease her at every possible turn. Of course, Rayla knew it was all in good fun, but she wasn't always going to let them get away with it all the time.

A sudden shriek startled Rayla from her thoughts. "What! What happened!" Rayla screamed.

Lian ran into the room, eyes wide with excitement as he rushed to Rayla's legs, hugging them firmly. "Mummy! It's the greatest thing ever!" he cheered. "Thank you so much!"

"For what Lian?"

"Mum!" Isha shouted as she ran in. "She looks so cute! Can we name her?" she asked as she rushed over to her mother.

Rayla's eyes widened. "He didn't…" she whispered.

"But I did!" Callum cheerily replied. He poked his head right around the dining room archway. "Oh I did, my dear."

She pouted at her husband as she clasped her hands together. "Callum, ya know I love ya, but please, please, _please_, tell me ya didn't adopt a baby?" she asked with a tired voice.

Callum laughed. "Naaah, of course not!" he laughed. "What? You think I went over a hospital, asked any of the nurses if there were any babies without parents, signed adoption papers, and took a baby?" he asked, mustering up a serious face. Though the tone he was using had Rayla worried.

"Yes. That's exactly what I 'thought'," she exclaimed. "But now ya got me thinkin' otherwise!"

"I didn't," Callum said seriously.

Rayla sighed out of relief. "Thank ya." She managed a small smile.

"Because I got a baby Sky Dragon instead!" Callum cheered, stepping fully into the room with a whitish grey little dragon in his arms.

Rayla's eyes went wide as her jaw dropped. "But… but… how?" she stammered, "when did—why did—no, no, no!" She stomped her foot. "Ya did _not_ just kidnap a baby Sky Dragon from her Mum!"

Callum's eyes shot open in shock as he quickly shook his head. "No! Of course not! No, no!" he laughed as he made his way over to his wife, petting the small dragon as he walked. "Ray, no, she's from an adoption shelter."

"What?" Rayla asked.

"Yeah, it's a whole thing," Callum smiled, "like, they find and discover little abandoned babies and look for people who are willing to look after them. The shelter said they found her in nest after they saw the mother… shot down," he sadly whispered. Rayla's face fell at the statement. "It was shortly before that Dragon Hunter bandit group was shut down. They rescued the egg and started hatching it." Callum grinned as he looked in Rayla's eyes. "Ever since I heard about it, I visited whenever I had the chance. I didn't want to say anything till she hatched. I had Ez stop by just to tell me her name. Zeusia." He lifted the baby dragon and cooed. "I saw this lil' girl and thought, she reminds me of Zym." He turned her over and allowed her to blink her little bluebell eyes at Rayla. "Doesn't she?"

Rayla stared at into the baby dragon's eyes and sighed. Her heart melted at the innocence staring back at her. Zeusia's tongue fell out as her head flopped onto Callum's arm. She purred as she blinked at Rayla. That look brought back so many memories. Memories of her, Callum, and Ezran travelling throughout the lands, carrying a young dragon king. Memories of their merry band of three, happily running about and cuddling Zym. Memories that included the devastating struggles and amazing adventures that occurred when she and Callum alone entered Xadia.

Her face slightly flushed as she remembered the experiences that entailed alongside Zym's journey. Experiences like, her and Callum's first kiss—he chimed in long after they finished, but was very energetic for it. All the nights he snuggled alongside them when they slept together, those was moments she enjoyed too. And there was that one time he interrupted them when they nearly had—

"Ray?" Callum spoke up. Startled from her embarrassing thoughts, she looked up at her husband with a blush. "You okay?"

She smiled with a nod. She moved her hand over to Zeusia's head and stroked it softly, grinning at how she purred. She looked down at her kids and chuckled. "Ya're gonna have to help look after her, ya know?"

Isha nodded. "We will!"

"Ya'll need to make sure she's fed."

"We will!" Lian said.

"And help her fly too, she needs to learn that."

"We will!" they said together.

Rayla chuckled once more. "And make sure ya help her realize her powers and potential?"

Callum placed his hand on her shoulder. She looked over and found him to smugly smiling at her. "We will," he softly said.

Rayla rolled her eyes and let out an exaggerated exhaustive sigh. "Well…" she nodded over to the stove top. "If ya can fix up dinner, then I'll go make sure we have some grub nearby for lil' Zeusia," she said with a cheery smile.

Callum's eyes lit up. "On it!" he hurriedly handed the dragon over to Rayla and proceeded to rush over to the stove. He moved the stew pot aside and and began prepping all the leftover ingredients. Rayla scoffed as she watched him basically restart from scratch, ignoring her pot as a whole. She looked back at her children, who were wearing wide smiles with curious looks, and laughed.

"Yes, we're keepin' her."

Rayla laughed once more as she watched her kids cheer and scream, running around the dining room out of sheer and pure happiness. Rayla looked down at Zeuia and smiled. This was a good idea. She was sure of it.

* * *

**_A/N: _****_Eh? Eh? How was it? I like future AUs, so when the opportunity presented itself, I jumped at the chance to create their future kids. I don't think there are any fanon names for their futures kids yet, so I just came up with some of my own. Isha is thirteen and Lian is ten. They're basically little elf halflings, so tiny horns and cute little ears. I didn't describe them much because I felt everyone's at least seen a little half-elf child._**

**_That and I'm lazy._**

**_So, tomorrow's the last day. The bonus day. Confession. This one... this one is gonna be something._**

**_Until next time,_**

_**\- Bleh**_


	10. Confession (Bonus Day Rayllum Week)

_**A/N: **_**_So... it's done. Man, I loved doing this. This was fun. For my first ship week, I had an ENORMOUS amount of fun writing these and reading all your guys' reviews. I'm glad that a great many of you enjoyed some of my silly and simple ideas and actually like my writing style. As an aspiring writer, I'm just over the moon about the feedback y'all have given me. Now, enough holding you up... behold, confession._**

* * *

**_Chapter Summary: _**_It's time Callum gets something off his chest. Something that's been bothering him ever since they entered Xadia. A one-on-one with Rayla, reveals his true feelings._

**_Word count: 2,173_**

* * *

**Confession**

"Oookay," Callum sighed. "You can do this."

He gave himself a hardened stare through his reflection in the lake. Taking deep breaths, Callum closed his eyes and focused. He believed he could do this. This was nothing. This was easy. He convinced himself of that enough times. But of course, that fell flat on many levels. For many days now he had gone over this. There was just so many possibilities. Too many outcomes where everything changes because of his dumb decision.

Callum shook his head and slapped his face. He shouldn't think like that. This was Rayla he was thinking about. They've been friends for months now, there was no way she'd throw it all out the window because of one little thing. Callum's face fell. He hoped she thought it was a little thing. If she just brushed over it and accepted it, no questions asked, then nothing awkward would happen.

"Oh am I kidding," he said exasperatedly. He frowned at his reflection. "This is gonna be huge! Of course she'll have something to say!"

A yip from behind dragged Callum's attention away from his annoyed reflection. He managed a small smile at the young Storm Dragon sat behind him. Zym cocked his head to the right as he gave a questioning stare over Callum's way. His tongue hung out as his tail wagged back and forth. This wasn't the first time Zym had caught him talking to himself nor looking weird. The poor dragon must've been very used to his antics at this point.

Callum's face lit up as an idea crossed his mind. Well, if he _was_ used to it. "Hey Zym," he called, "You mind helping me with something?" He yipped a happy smile and nodded in response, bouncing off in all fours. "Great! C'mon!" Callum waved him over to a nearby rock. He patted the spot and watched as Zym sat down at an eye level with him. He smirked at the Storm Dragon's eager attitude. "Alright. Just… give me your impression."

Zym tilted his head in confusion.

Clearing his throat, Callum clasped his hands together and rubbed them quickly. He mustered up a brave smile and look Zym in his eyes. "Okay. So… okay…" he cleared his throat once more. "Rayla, I—nope, nope, that's dumb." He raised his finger in the air. "We have been travelling together for quite some time—ah! That's it!" he grinned excitedly.

Zym yipped once more, blinking confusedly at the the boy.

"Right," Callum nervously chuckled. "So… _Rayla_," he gestured to Zym, "as you know… we've been… travelling alone together for long time." He bit his lip and pondered. "Well, I guess two months and a half might not be _long_, b-but maybe it is? And, well, a small portion of that time was with Ezran and Bait. And I guess you could count all those merchants and such who gave us rides as not alone time. And, Zym has been travelling with us too," at the sound of his nickname said dragon perked up and smiled. Shaking his head, Callum cleared his throat for the umpteenth time that day. "Anyways…

"Rayla, you and I have been friends for awhile now. And, I'd like to think we're even best friends even! I mean, I know so much about you, and vice versa and all that. An-Anyways, well, as your best friend, I think I owe it to you… to… tell you things… no, everything! Just, be honest! Because, you know, honesty is one of biggest in our relationship that we focus on—well I mean…" Callum groaned as he facepalmed himself. He dragged his hand down his face and slowly blinked at the Storm Dragon before him. "Did you get any of that?"

Zym shook his head and left his tongue to hang out. Callum sighed. "Figured as much." He turned back to the lake and stared at himself. Why was this so difficult? Was he really overthinking things?

The worst outcome would be that Rayla would just stop talking to him. Callum's neutral expression fell as his mind started considering other possibilities. Possibilities where she'd be so mad and upset with him, she wouldn't even talk to him for the rest of their journey. Or maybe she would just leave him, take Zym with her and decide that this was all just a waste of her time. That he didn't deserve anything to come for doing something so brave and noble. That maybe he was just a terrible friend for even considering this. Or maybe she'd kill him.

Callum sighed once more. Why did he have to feel this way? Everything would be simple for him if he just never had these dumb feelings. But nevertheless, as one of the many things Rayla liked about him, he was a passionate guy. If there ever was something that irked him or made him excited he had to make a big deal out of it. And for someone who was told be to something he wasn't for so long, having a breath of fresh air like this was amazing. It was freeing to be this expressing.

Callum's eyes closed. But that was the key. Just breathe. He took a deep breath and turned back to Zym. Opening his eyes he uttered out, "Rayla." He mustered up the most confident smirk he could manage and said, "We need to talk."

"Aye? What 'bout?"

A started shriek came from the Mage as he hopped up on the spot. He immediately whipped his body around and stumbled back a few feet, landing against the rock. "Rayla!" he greeted, smiling at the smug elf before him.

She crossed her arms across her chest as she jutted out her hip. "Hiya," she smirked, "Now, uh, what'd ya want to talk about?"

Callum opened his mouth but stopped himself as he glanced back at Zym, who had wordlessly smiled back. "Uhhh, that we should get going!" he jerked his thumb back toward the forest. "I-I mean, sunset is upon us and uh… yeah…"

Rayla stared at him with a cocked head and a confused stare. "Uhh, aye, I know," she chuckled. "I just had to go to the bathroom, yeesh." She walked over to Zym and picked him up from the rock. "No need to get all impatient."

"Right, sorry," Callum apologized as he followed after her. Crisis averted, so far. But, the skeptical glare Rayla shot his way told him that this wasn't going to be the last time she asked about it.

::::

Ralya knew something was up. Callum had been acting a bit strange for the past few days. She noticed how every so often he'd just trail off into a deep thought. His brows would scrunch up and his lip would quiver down. Whatever was bothering him was something serious. Something that seemed to upset him. But he seemed so determined to stay quiet about it. Rayla could tell he was lying when he said it was nothing, or when he said he was just thinking about a sketch. She had been with him long enough to tell when he was thinking about sketching.

His face was more elated, still concentrated, but it was obvious he was thinking about something that made him happy. Things like that made Rayla all the more suspicious of how he was acting. She hoped that the time he spent sketching before bed was enough time for him to settle whatever was bothering him. But, it only seemed like it just opened up more opportunities for him to worsen his thoughts. Whatever he claimed this nothing was, it was something alright.

And the way he was acting earlier today cinched Rayla's beliefs.

It was well into the evening, and Callum had just finished setting up camp. He was patiently waiting for her return, as she had taken the liberty of gathering some more berries for the night. Zym stayed behind with Callum, and she couldn't help but feel a bit jealous at that. She was noticing how often Zym hung around the artist. But at least he was safe.

Speaking of said Storm Dragon, a sudden yip brought Rayla's attention over to the clearing. She smiled as she noticed Callum and Zym's gathered nearby Callum's possesions. "Great, ya got the fire ready!" she chirped. "Now, with a nice fire, we can enjoy lil' snack before bed." She shook the handkerchief of berries in her hand.

"About that." Callum rose up from the grass and stared Rayla with a serious look. "We need to talk."

Rayla's eyebrows rose at his sudden seriousness. This was it. He was going to talk about it. She cleared her throat and nodded. "Uhh, sure. Okay." She walked over to Callum and sat down in front of him. "Lemme just put the berries in your bag—"

"That can wait," Callum stressed as he knelt down. He placed his hand over hers, and pushed it back to her chest.

This was really urgent. "Okay?" Rayla nervously laughed. She looked at Callum's emerald eyes and was amazed at how hardened and serious they were. It was then she noticed the moonlight shining down around them, glimmering off the light grass. It was then she noticed her nerves were crackling like the fire lit beside them. It was then she noticed how his hand suddenly wrapped around her wrists, holding them firmly. "What is it?" she dared to ask.

Callum took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Rayla," he opened them, "We've been friends for awhile now, right?" She silently nodded. "And well, I know how important it is… for… our relationship," her brows went up, "that we're completely honest with each other." Callum brought his hands over Rayla's folding her fingers over the berries in her palms. He caressed her hands softly. "So… I… I think I owe it to you to be honest." He released another deep breath and smiled at Rayla, sincerely. "I've been mulling over this ever since we entered Xadia and well… I think my feelings are dead set serious."

Rayla nodded. "Callum, ya can tell me." She grinned encouragingly.

Callum nodded back. "Okay." He took a swallowed hard. He removed his fingers, slowly unfolding Rayla's and softly said, "I don't like Moonberry juice."

Rayla's brows went up as she tilted her head. "_What_?"

"I don't like Moonberry juice," he repeated, more confidently.

Her brows furrowed as a frown fell on her face. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, I-I know, it's very resourceful fruit in Xadia and it's practically everywhere," Callum rubbed the back of his neck, "But I just can't stand the flavour! It-It's too bitter and sugary. And it's so thick! Like, pancake syrup but worse! And the smell is just like grape juice, it's too strong!" He shook his head and looked at Zym. "I-I've been giving my drinks to Zym when you're not looking and actually eating a secret stash of Sunberry bread from that town we stopped by a few weeks back."

Rayla rolled her eyes. This idiot. "Oh my gosh," she groaned. "I thought this was something serious! The way ya've been acting recently had me worr—wait, ya've had a secret stash?" she questioned.

Sheepishly, he nodded. "Yeah…"

"What? Why!" Rayla bundled up the berries in the handkerchief and with a free hand, grabbed Callum's bag. She rifled through it and gasped when she found two loaves of Sunberry bread. "I can't believe ya!"

Callum shrugged as his face winced. "I'm sorry!" he shouted. "B-But you just kept getting more every night and I could at least enjoy the berries, but you made every batch into juice! I-I—"

"And ya gave it to Zym!" she pointed aggressively at said dragon, who just yipped excitedly. "Ya said ya liked it!"

"I know! I lied! That's why I'm being honest!"

"Ugh, what kinda boyfriend lies about liking a drink?"

"I didn't want to upset you!"

"Oh but wasting money on bread and secretly keeping it to yourself for weeks is better?"

Callum shut his mouth as a weak finger lifted. "Ah… that sounds worse when you phrase it that way—"

"That's 'cause it is."

"—but I don't think it's as worse as the juice, so I'm fine."

Rayla gasped. "Oooh, that's it!" she shook her head. She grabbed a loaf of bread from his back and smashed her entire pile of Moonberries onto it. Callum gasped in horror as he watched his light coloured bread darken with maroon. "Now ya've got to deal with it!" she shouted, shoving the bread toward him.

Callum frowned miserably at the sight of his bread and sighed as the juice dripped down his hand. "Why…" he whined quietly. "It was so good."

"Then maybe next time ya can think 'bout sharing it with ya girlfriend!" she said haughtily, turning her chin away. She stood up from her spot and walked over to the campfire. "Oh, and ya can forget about being lil' spoon tonight."

"Okay that's too far!"

* * *

_**A/N: **_**_I think at this point none of you are surprised I didn't go the route most expected. I mean, angsty true feelings reveal? Naaaaah. Funny enough, I was actually thinking about making this a confession fic because I realized I haven't done a one-shot for that yet. But, I decided against it because I wanted to keep the mood of this ship week series to be overall fun and upbeat. I don't know why I think a confession story would be angsty and touchy, but I think it's also 'cause I'm not confident I can do something unique there. At least not yet._**

**_ANYWAYS. We're done. Ship week is finished and all that effort is behind me now. It's been a blast. As I said earlier, I appreciate all you've said and love how many of you started to pic up on my series and get into this. Rayllum shippers are a great bunch, thank ya kindly! _**

**_That said, I mentioned in my Tumblr, blehblarghblah, that I probably won't update this for a while. I'll still write, don't worry about that. I've got tons of ideas to write about. But, my other ongoing series needs attention too so I need to focus on updating that. It'll be awhile, but I'm going to try hard to make sure this won't go without attention._**

**_Thanks for everything once again._**

**_Until next time,_**

**_\- Bleh_**


	11. Game on (College AU)

_**A/N: Heeeeyoo! I'm back! And ready to attack, with another College AU. It's a continuation, so I hope you enjoy! **_

* * *

_**Chapter Summary: **__Callum's making his move and returning Rayla's varsity jacket. But of course, that entails him going to the football game. Can the artist create a moment like his creative vision? Or perhaps he'll fall flat._

_Whatever happens, Claudia will still be there to tease._

_**Word count: 4,458**_

* * *

**Game On**

Callum didn't hate football. He actually found it to be pretty interesting sometimes. The plays he had heard about on TV or from Soren, sounded really fun and cool. And he had seen some games before, but of course, all of this came from within the safety of his dorm. Callum didn't mind sports, but he _did_ mind the crowds that surfaced with them. He would watch a game from the comfort of his bed rather than sit in the stands with hundreds of other rowdy and reckless fans.

But there he was, clad in his best tan jeans and long sleeved sweater, checking himself out in the mirror. He figured casual would be good, and comfortable too, as he knew it was a bit breezy out. The only question was if he should wear a jacket or not. The realization hit him as he looked in the reflection, noticing a particular maroon and gold coloured jacket, hung on the back of his computer chair. Callum gulped as he turned and picked up the varsity jacket.

His thumb dragged over the embroidered emblems of their College's crown as he pondered the idea. This simple medium sized varsity jacket was the whole reason he was even going to their school's football game. He turned it around and smiled at the name, _Rayla_. The girl that had been on the artist's mind for days. She had done something no one had ever done before: get him out of a creative block.

Of course, she had done much more than that too. Callum definitely enjoyed the night they spent together. It was short lived but different. A type of fun he had never had before. Rayla was an enigma to him. A football jock who was a fan go his art pieces? And Scottish too, he was wondering about that! All these questions, and his go to plan was to drop off her jacket before the game. He knew where to find her after all.

"Ugh, please tell me you're not about smell that," a voice came in. Callum shot his attention over to his now opened door and scoffed at the figure. She shot wore a knowing sly smirk, along with gothic mascara to back up her attitude. Her attire, a simple black leather jacket zipped up nearly all the way, and a pair of dark gray shorts and black stockings that ran down to her leather boots. She pulled a few strands of her purple highlighted hair it from her usual raven black, and scoffed at him. "If you are, my standards for you have will have lessened _immensely_."

"I was not!" he defended. "I was just thinking if I should wear it or not."

Claudia laughed as she leaned up against the frame. "Callum, you already did once. What's the big deal about doing it again?"

His face grew sheepish. "It's day time."

"Yes, it is."

"And well… people will see?"

"So?"

"Isn't that a whole thing?" Callum exclaimed, clearly fed up with his friend's slow uptake. When he was met with a confused look, he groaned. "Like, wearing a jock's varsity jacket? I don't know wanna bring that type of attention to Rayla." He frowned as he looked back down said jacket.

Claudia rolled her eyes. "If she didn't want that, then why did she give it you?"

"We were the only two around and it was cold and dark out," Callum explained.

Claudia frowned. "Then why didn't she take it back when she dropped you off?"

He recalled their conversation and blushed at how nice she was about it. She thought he looked really good in it. He realized he couldn't say that it loud, so he merely shrugged. "I… I just want to give this back to her, no problems."

Claudia sighed. "Then why couldn't you get Soren to do it? He's literally her captain. He sees her every practice." She crossed her arms. "I don't get why we need to show up early just to do this."

Callum shrugged once more as he turned back to his reflection. "I just think she'd like it back before the game. And besides, you and your dad always show up early to cheer for him anyways," he replied, firing back with a confident look, "How's this any different?"

His friend scowled. "It's different by two hours," she deadpanned.

Callum shook his head with a chuckle. "C'mon, I told you, you don't have to come."

Claudia's face lit up, startling him. "And miss out on the chance to meet the girl who got _you _to come to a football game _and_ prank my brother?" She guffawed, exaggeratingly so—or not, Callum could never really tell—then dropped into a serious stare. "No way." She nodded her head over to the hallway, "Now let's bounce." She took her leave, bending down to the floor and picking up her helmet. "And you better not cry when you're on my bike!" she teased as she tucked the helmet under her arm.

Callum rolled his eyes as he followed after. He checked over his belongings in his messenger bag; wallet, keys, sketchbook, eraser, pens and pencils. He sped up his pace and caught up with Claudia as she walked out the boy's dormitory. A realization occured as which sparked a question. "Hey, I thought you knew Rayla?" he asked as they approached her motorcycle.

She shook her. "Nah, I've seen her at their practices. But she was one of those football friends Soren hung out with during team stuff. She's not really in his circle much. Or rather, my circle." She donned on her helmet and sat down on her bike. She glanced over and even with the tinted screen, Callum could feel her evil grin. She clicked her teeth and nodded over to the empty space behind her.

Wordlessly, Callum obeyed and climbed on. He felt like that this a bit of a warning not to prank her like he did Soren. The second she revved up the bike, he figured he was correct. Within seconds, they were out of the boy's dormitory and on the roads within the campus. The artist held on the with a fierce grip and silent prayer to any deity listening.

The second they came a to stop at the parking lot outside, Callum hopped off and stumbled his footing. He couldn't believe Claudia drove around on a death trap like that, and then upped the ante whenever he was onboard. All because the first time, he got off and vomited, now he was known as the guy who couldn't handle Claudia's bike. He rarely ever wanted to climb onto her bike, but he wanted to make good time today. Without waiting, Callum made a dash over to the entrance of the stadium, ignoring Claudia's call.

He rushed to the ticket booth and fumbled into his messenger bag for his ticket. The man at the booth impatiently tapped his fingers against the table as he eyed Callum with lazy eyes. Callum's face dropped as he realized he was missing his ticket. He shoved his hand in and rummaged around the bag, pushing aside his things with haste. How did he forget?

"Hey Callum?" Claudia's voice arrived. He quickly glanced up and saw her waved a pair of tickets in her hands. "I was trying to say, _I_ have the tickets, remember?" She shook her head with a chuckle as she approached the booth. "Sorry 'bout him, it's his first game," she explained to the man as she handed them the tickets.

He shrugged in response and ripped them up, and handed them back to Claudia.

"Thank you!" she said as she grabbed Callum's back and pushed him inside. As soon as they entered the hall she sighed. "Jeez, I get you're excited but relax alright?"

Callum rolled his eyes as he took his ticket back from Claudia. "I'm in a hurry okay, I wanna make sure I can catch her before they start warm ups and everything!" He sped up his pace and recalled the path they had taken the night they were there. As he made the turn, he heard Claudia whistle and so he turned around.

"Yo, eager beaver, locker rooms are this way," she clicked her teeth as she jerked her thumb over the other direction.

Callum's eyes darted between her and the other direction and he nervously laughed. "Uhh, right, but—" he stopped. If he told her, then she would follow him, which would result in endless teasing. "I, _washroom_," he strained out.

Claudia's brow quirked.

"Just, go ahead! I'll catch up with you!" he waved her off as he backed away. She seemed to skeptically obey, as she slowly walked off with a confused look. As soon as Callum rounded the corner, he dashed up the stairs. This was it, this was his chance. He ran through the halls and smiled in delight as he found the section he wanted. He stopped right before the exit and took a deep breath. Quickly, he fumbled the jacket into his hands as he checked its pockets. Everything was in order. With a confident smile, he marched out the hallway and paused at the sight. An empty field and a coat of glimmering sunlight shining off the lime grass. It was a beautiful sight.

"Well, fancy meeting ya here," a Scottish voice chirped.

Callum turned to his right and chuckled at the white haired girl before him. She was leaned over in the same seat as last time, decked out in a pair of black ripped jeans with combat boots, with a turquoise flannel tied around her waist. She wore a black t-shirt with rolled up sleeves that said, _Tired_. Ironically enough, her expression seemed as eager as his. She patted the empty seat next to her and Callum happily sauntered over and sat down.

"Well, I thought you'd like this back," he held out the varsity jacket with a smile. "Y'know, since you have a game and all." He nodded over to the field.

Rayla chuckled as she took the jacket. "Thanks," she smiled. She held it for moment and stared at it with an arched brow. Lifting it close to her face, she took a whiff. "Did ya throw this in the wash?" she asked him.

He awkwardly shrugged and said, "Uhh, maybe." He laughed. "I just thought I owed you something for keeping me warm that night, so a little Downy freshness couldn't hurt."

Rayla snorted. "Thanks. I forget to wash this thing sometimes since I wear it so much."

Callum nodded. "Oh I could tell, why do you think I washed it?"

She scoffed and playful punched his arm. "Shut up!" she giggled. She then threw on her jacket and sighed in content as she hugged herself. "I missed the feel of it."

Callum smirked. "Sorry to keep you two away then."

"Nah," she dismissed, "I'm glad I was able to let someone else experience its warmness for a change."

He stared at her with a genuine smile. It was warm alright. But it was more so that the jacket felt like _her_ instead. Callum liked it. It was soothing and soft. It reminded him of that night. "Well, thanks," he softly said.

She smirked. "No problem! If ya ever need a jacket again or bodyguard, ya know who to call!" she joked, nudging her elbow against his.

He laughed. "No, no, I meant for that night." Her brows raised. "Helping me with block was great. I finished the piece!" he proudly announced.

Rayla's face lit up. "Callum that's great!"

He nodded. "Yeah!" Her excited smile motivated him to keep going. He took a moment and nodded once again. "And uh, I want you to be the first to see it."

Her face flushed a bit as she stared at him in surprise. "M-Me?" she pointed to herself. It was a ridiculous gesture, but she was obviously surprised.

Callum chuckled and nodded once more.

"A-Are ya sure? I mean, I get if ya want to keep that whole thing private and—"

"Rayla," he interjected as he placed his hand on her shoulder, seizing her stammering. "I want you to see it. You _first. _Before I show it at this month's showcase," he smiled warmly at her. The two simultaneously noticed his hand on her shoulder, causing him to retract immediately. "I-I mean, you are a fan of my work and since you helped me, the least I could do is show you first!"

Rayla smiled back.

"S-So yeah!" He confidently nodded. "I think you'll really like it, and uh, maybe then…" he gulped. "I could sketch… you after?" he asked in a quieter voice. Rayla's brows raised once more. "I-I mean—I know I offered and you already said yes, it-it, doesn't have to be that urgent!" So much for that confidence. "I'm fine with you just wanting to hold off on that—"

"I'd love to," Rayla smiled.

Callum stopped his rambling and looked at her. "Really?"

"Yes, Callum, I'd love to."

He let out a laugh as he pumped his fist. He quickly cleared his throat and composed himself as Rayla laughed. "Sorry. Guess I'm just a bit excited."

She shook her head. "Relax, it's adorable." She winked. "So uh, when do ya want me?" Her face flushed as her eyes widened and mouth dropped in horror. "To meet up!" she hastily added, "To meet up with ya!"

Callum's face, equally red, strained for a smile as he coughed. "Umm, af-after the game is fine. If-if you're free." He awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. "I-I understand if you and your team have after game rituals or something."

She eagerly smiled. "Yeah, I-I'm free! I can raincheck one pizza party," she dismissed with the wave of her hand. "They'll live without me."

Callum raised a worried brow. "You sure?"

She nodded. "Besides," she smugly smirked, "I'd take an art piece showing with you over another testosterone filled feast with Soren anyday." The two shared a laugh. A sudden alarm cut off their joy, and brought Rayla's attention to her phone. "Ahh, damn, looks like time's up. Better hit the locker room." She rose up to her feet. "Thanks for returning this again," she pulled on her jacket, "and washing it."

Callum smiled. "No problem. See you after the game?"

"Aye," she nodded. "Will ya be sticking around till then?" He smugly smirked back as he dug into his pocket and pulled out his ticket, waving it before him. Her face blushed at the gesture as she chuckled. "Gee, looks like I've got a fan of my own!"

Callum laughed as he watched her walk off. "Call it returning the favour!" he shouted down the hall. He smiled to busked proudly as he heard her laugh echo throughout the hall. He loved hearing her laugh. He glanced down at his ticket and looked at his seat number. Claudia and her father managed to snag him a seat in the section they usually sat, which was practically near the front. His eyes widened as he realized his distance. "Rayla, wait up!" he called out as he rushed after her. He found her casually making her way down the corridors as she turned back to look at him with a curious face.

"Aye, what's up?"

"Mind if I walk with you?" he inquired. She quirked a brow and he elaborated by shaking his ticket. "My section's close to your locker room anyway, so might as well." Feeling bold, he added, "Plus I could return the favour!"

"Favour?"

"Yeah!" he smiled. "Since you played bodyguard for me, I'll do it for you!" There was a moment of silence before she burst out into a fit of laughter. Callum frowned, though he enjoyed hearing it, as he rolled his eyes. "C'mon! I'm not _that_ bad!" he defended childishly as he walked after her.

Rayla quickly shook her head as she said in between giggles, "No, no, no, of course not!" Once she composed herself, she said, "I'm very glad to have my artist in shining armour."

Callum flushed at the tease but preserved. "Hey you never know!" He shrugged. "A star football player all by her lonesome in the corridors right before a big game? _Anything _could happen!" he pointed out dramatically.

Rayla giggled as she playfully shoved Callum with her shoulder. "Fine, fine, I guess having an armed artist as my guard would be pretty cool," she conceded. The two began walking down the stairs. "And I guess I've had worst partners watching my back."

Callum snorted. "Is that a good thing to hear before going into a football game?" The two laughed once again, leaving the stairwell to echo with their joyful symphony. He couldn't help but smile at her.

Rayla waved a dismissive hand. "Pfft, nah, real magic is all on the quarterback!" she proudly declared.

Callum rolled his eyes. "I think you're a little biased," he mused.

"What? No!" she defended. "There wouldn't be a game without a QB. How do ya think they'd move the ball 'round?"

"Well in that case, there wouldn't be much of a game if there wasn't any players," Callum cleverly shot back.

Rayla scoffed as she lightly elbowed the artist in the ribs. "Alright wise-guy, no need to get all smart with me," she teased. "And besides, if ya knew half of anythin' 'bout football, ya'd know I'm not wrong sayin' QB is an important role." They finally reached the bottom of the stairs and began walking down the corridors. "Hope that seat of yours is a good one. 'Cause while the view is nice when the field's all empty, it's also pretty cool when there's a game."

Callum smiled. "I don't doubt it."

"But also, make sure to keep your eye on number thirty-one," she said with a wink. "I heard she's feisty one."

He laughed as he nodded knowingly at her. "Oh is that a fact?" he inquired sarcastically. "Well, I'll be sure to keep my eye on her," he said with a smile.

Rayla warmly smiled back. "I'm glad I've got a fan of my own."

"Can you make that double?" Claudia's voice rung out. The two looked over to the locker room entrance and found her smiling at them. "Because I am a _big_ _fan_ of _this_," she chuckled, gesturing toward the two. Callum felt a faint blush on his cheeks whilst Rayla confusedly stared at the girl. "Claudia, Soren's sister," she greeted as she extended her hand.

Rayla cocked her head and chuckled softly as she accepted the handshake. "Uhh, yeah, I know. I've seen ya at our practices?" she stated as if it was obvious. A smirk fell on her face as she crossed her arms and popped her hip out. "You're also one of Callum's friends, eh?" Callum wasn't sure what to feel about that mischievous look on the football player's face.

Claudia beamed a happy smile as she nodded. "I am! Callum's spoke of me?"

Rayla nodded. "Aye, at great detail," she explained, "You also _ditched_ him at the party, aye?" Claudia's eyes widened at the sudden accusation, leaving Rayla to proudly grin. "Figured," she added. Looking to Callum, she teasingly nudged his elbow. "Guess we still got one more loose end to deal with, huh?"

Callum glanced back to Claudia and was shocked to see her nervous for once. He eagerly jumped on the opportunity. "Oh yes!" he dramatically stated, "_Definitely_." He threw a wink his friend's way, and caused her to frown more.

"H-Hey, was it that much of a big deal?" Claudia defended with a pout. "I mean, you two met after all?" she gestured to the two with a sly brow. Then, a smug smirk emerged. "And it _obviously_ did well for you…" she teased.

Callum's face flushed one more as Rayla was taken aback with a faint blush of her own.

"H-Hey—"

"I—"

Claudia laughed at the two as they stammered. "Whelp! Guess I better find my seat," she announced as she pulled out her ticket. She strolled past the two with a proud smile, then stopped behind them. "Oh, and you too right Callum?" she turned and asked, "You are in the same section with me after all."

Callum nodded. "Ri-Right, but I…" he turned to Rayla, who shot an unimpressed look Claudia's way.

"_Ohh_," Claudia gasped. Sarcastically, she replied, "I gotcha." She repeatedly pointed at her nose then back at Rayla's. With a wink, she threw a two finger salute at the two. "I'll leave you two to your lonesome!" she said in singsong, then vanished around the corner.

Rayla groaned. "Oooh hoo," she shook her head as she bit her lip. "I can't wait to get her!"

Callum laughed. "Maybe after I sketch you, we'll plot a prank," he addressed with a small smile.

The football player turned with an eager look in her eyes. "I'll hold ya too that!" she pointed at him.

He nodded as he winked at her. "Swear it on my canvas," he quipped.

Rayla began to back toward the locker room door. "Which I'll be on!" she remarked.

"Of course," he nodded and with a gentle bow, he backed away. "See you on the field?"

She smiled as she placed her hand on the handle. "See ya out on the stands." The two waved as the separated from each other's sights.

Callum's smile that was directed at her leave, disappeared as soon as he rounded the corner, as he was met with a very smug grin. He frowned at the instant he saw Claudia leaning up against the wall with her arms crossed. She quirked a brow as he marched past her, not meeting her eyes. "Ooh," she seethed. "He's upset," she said to no one in particular.

Callum rolled his eyes with a sigh. "Did you _have_ to do that?" he drawled out as she caught up with him.

The two made their way out the corridors and over to the stands. "Hey, you ditched me for a sneaky underhanded meeting," she pointed at him accusingly. "That's fair play." She shrugged nonchalantly.

He frowned at her as they made their way over to their section. "You ditched me first."

"And look where that got you!"

He rolled his eyes again.

A pregnant pause lingered as they walked. "Seriously though, where has _that_ Callum been?" she asked with surprise laced within her voice. "You sounded so… confident! You were all flirty too," she nudged his elbow with a knowing look, "Honestly, that was _pretty_ smooth!"

His face faintly reddened at her compliments. Secretly, he was happy that he got her approval and learned that he was doing well with his interactions. But outwardly, he was still annoyed she teased them and showed no remorse for it. Callum glanced down at his ticket as he made his way over to his seat. "Glad to know I have resident eavesdropper," he sarcastically enthused.

Claudia snorted. "Whelp, maybe you shouldn't have conversations in a loud, echoey hallway," she remarked as she sat down next to him.

Callum kept any further comments to himself as he looked at the nearly empty field. Some workers had gone out and began prepping some equipment, and a few of the players started filing in. Rayla of course, was yet to be seen as she was no doubt still getting ready. Callum did not mind Claudia's teasing however. As he did know she eavesdropped, he also knew she was aware that they openly brought up their upcoming prank. No doubt, she was afraid of what that entailed. So, he still had that to be proud of. His phone buzzed and a smile grew. And _that_ too, of course.

::::

"_Geez, next time, I'll get the damn jacket myself if it means you'll take ages!_" Soren's voice pained Rayla's ears as it echoed throughout the locker room. Granted, he was on the other side of the door, due to it being the women's room, but his annoying voice still powered through. She rolled her eyes as she slid her pants on.

"Oi, relax _Mom_. If it bothers ya so much I'll text ya next time!"

"_What were you two even doing? Macking lips?_"

Rayla's face cringed at the statement. "Eww, please don't ever say macking again." She shuddered. "That coming out of ya mouth sounds… wrong." Soren sighed in response. She smiled to herself as she could practically envision him rolling his eyes in irritation and stomping his foot. "Now quit ya whining! Coach Harrow'll be pissed if he finds out ya've been chilling in the locker room instead of getting warm ups started!"

"_I'm—I was—hey, I'm checking on you_!" he shouted back.

"Not what Harrow will think!" she teased back in singsong. She began sliding her cleats on and smirking proudly to herself as she did so.

"_Just be ready!_" he yelled before stomping off.

Rayla chuckled to herself as she began tying her shoe. She figured Soren would get on her case about being a few minutes late, but she was a bit surprised he was curious about what she did with Callum. She supposed they really were friends in a way, as the only thing she picked up on from his curiosity and annoyance was concern for his friend and genuine intrigue. No doubt, he and Claudia were well aware of the two's night together and were curious about the follow up. Heck, she was too.

She smiled as she maneuvered the next shoe over. Her gaze briefly flew over to her jacket, which was just lying on the bench. She looked at it fondly as she thought about the only thing that's been on her mind these past few days. The artist who donned the look and made it work. She shook her head. How could she have easily fallen like that? It was the first time she'd ever worn that jacket and _not_ thought about football, but instead a person. A very sweet and passionate person, who was creatively hilarious in his own way.

She fell hard.

Suddenly, she noticed a slip of paper began sliding out the left pocket. She hurriedly grabbed it and unfolded the slip. Eyes widened as a faint blush fell upon her cheeks. A string of nine digits and a small, very cute, sketch of a football player throwing a football. Like a schoolgirl, she squealed to herself as she instantly grabbed her phone and began inserting the digits. Without hesitation, she texted him.

_Well played._

Not even two seconds, and he sent back, _Your move?_

_Game on._

Yeah, Rayla fell hard.

* * *

_**A/N: Yeaaah, I know it was kinda of not much, just flirt banter, but I guess it just sets up more for anything else I want to do with this. I hope y'all liked it, because it was fun to write! Now, I can't guarantee another will be released within May or June, because my exams will be up in June so lots will be overwhelming me (that and my other fics in the works). However, I'll still strive to keep writing! **_

_**By that I mean, rayllum-week has now become rayllum-week-and-month, and SO, I'll be participating in it! It'll begin July, (Callum and Rayla's birth month, cleverly enough) and has a whole string of prompts listed. Now of course I can't guarantee that the length of all of them will be over 1K words, but I'll try to do what I do best and have fun with them and make 'em enjoyable for an entire month's worth! So most likely, you'll see me then. But who knows?**_

* * *

**_Review responses:_**

**_Guest (_**dalek cannt_**): Thanks for the play by play of reviews! Love 'em all and I'm glad you like it so far! Hopefully you liked this even though I brought football back into the light. **_

_**C.J. Robbins: I'd love to make a standalone, but I **_**definitely**_** don't have the time to do that. Alas, we'll have to settle with spontaneous one-shots instead. Also, glad you'll be getting diabetes. **_

_**1228248: yeesh, what a name. Anyways, also glad you'll be getting diabetes as well! I'm happy that I'm capable of dispersing it!**_

_** . 0-0: Surprised to hear you're coming from Untold Story! Sorry 'bout the long wait for that one, but hopefully this series of one-shots will suffice!**_

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_**Hope you guys don't mind me replying here, I just thought I'd give you guys something. Thanks for the kind words! **_

_**Until next time,**_

_**\- Bleh**_


	12. Surprise ( Month Day 1)

_**A/N: That is right! I have returned, but this time, for my very first ever, ship month! WOOO! Rayllum month ladies and gents and non-binaries, we have crossed the threshold! First of 31 days.**_

**_Now, without further ado, Day 1: Beach Day_**

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**Chapter Summary: **_Rayla hasn't always been fond of surprises, and a day at the beach with Callum reminds her why that is. Future AU_

**Word Count: **2,315

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**Surprise**

Rayla didn't often like surprises. As an assassin in training, she grew up on focusing in on her senses and staying alert. Surprises were the speciality of assassins, and so she never made a point of getting surprised herself. Runaan taught her that religiously. So whenever the event occurred, it startled her. The first time Callum tried to surprise her, he covered her eyes and shouted, "Guess who?" All sense flew out the window along with Callum's whole body, as she twisted his arm and launched him over her shoulder. From then on, Callum made a habit of trying to get Rayla used to "fun surprises."

That term sounded weird to Rayla.

Mixing fun with an element of something she often attributed with danger, was strange contrast. But then again, it was a nice surprise the day she learned Callum loved her back. It was a nice surprise when a good portion of humans and elves, from both nations, began to accept the peace after the war. It was a nice surprise that Claudia and Soren settled on no hard feelings when they reunited with her and Callum. It was also a _really_ nice surprise when Callum dropped on his knee and showed Rayla her ring. Eyes swelled up in tears and a choked, "yes," later, the two found themselves in a joyful marriage. Fast forward years later, two little halflings and a baby Sky Dragon later to be exact, she found herself with a family of five. That was a surprise.

So of course, Rayla learned not to question Callum's desire to surprise her whenever proposed. It was why she easily closed her eyes and let him blindfold her. It was why she trusted him when he took her and the kids, also blindfolded, on a long, secretive carriage ride. It was also why, despite the sounds of waves crashing and the familiar, discomforted feeling of scattered sand at her feet, Rayla remained faithful in her husband. Because surely, after all their years together, he _wouldn't _dare.

"And now," Callum shouted, removing her blindfold, "surprise!"

Rayla slowly peaked open her eyes and her face paled. It was _exactly_ what she thought. A flooded floor of sand before her feet, and a large, vast oceanside staring down her path. Her body flinched as the next wave crashed at the nearby rocks aggressively. She felt her hold on her children's hands tighten at the sound of the water waving back and forth. Realizing the cause of this predicament, she turned and glared at her husband, who cleverly enough, was several feet deep into the sandy beach. She took it back. Surprises were still terrible.

"_Callum_," she said through gritted teeth.

"Yes my dear?" he sweetly replied, laying down a large blanket at his feet. She hated it when he was being sweet, especially when he was doing it deviously. That was her thing.

"I'm going to kill ya," she spat.

Callum rolled his eyes. "Love you too!" he shouted as he began pulling off his clothes. Rayla couldn't help but stare at the man's sudden bare chest. He had obviously grown in health over the years, and his muscles definitely grew too. His body was more toned, and his calves were _great_. So maybe there wasn't _that_ much of a downside to this, but Rayla was still mad. "I know you're staring!" he teased as he kicked off his boots. All he had on was a pair of beige pants, rolled up to his knees and an overwhelming large sense of pride. He was so smug looking at her nervous face. He was basically asking for a punishment.

She was definitely making him big spoon tonight.

"Callum, we're going back to the cottage."

He frowned. "Aww, c'mon Ray, what about the kids!" he gestured to them.

Rayla looked down and noticed Lian and Isha were wearing nervous looks as well. "They're scared Callum!" she shouted back. "C'mon, we have to go! Ya can't make 'em do this if they're afraid!"

Callum chuckled. "Ray, you let them learn Primal Magic with me and taught them self-defence, a little water won't hurt them!" he shot back. "Besides, how will they conquer their fears if they keep avoiding them?" he added with a sly smile.

Rayla groaned. "I hate wizards," she whispered to her kids. "They're stupidly wise."

"Mum said ya're stupidly wise Da!" Lian announced.

Callum laughed. "Of course! Now, as your resident stupidly wise father, I suggest you all come on down and hop in!" He turned around and ran straight into the next wave, raising his arms high and wide as the water overwhelmed his body. Rayla's body jumped at the sight of her husband disappearing into her enemy element, but relief washed over like the water as she saw him emerge, near the coast of the beach. "See? It's fine!"

Rayla released a shy smile as she looked at the kids once more. Lian slightly giggled at the sight of their father goofing off, but tightened his hold on Rayla's hand. Isha looked more pensive as she inched her foot forward and kicked the sand. They were still scared. "Callum…" she said strainingly.

"They're only nervous because _you_ are," he retorted as he shrugged at her.

"Am not!" she shouted.

"If you say so Ray," he nonchalantly replied. A yip echoed out and another small splash emerged at Callum's feet. "Ahh see!" he smiled as he watched Zeusia hop out of the water and splash once more. "Zeusia loves it! And she's a Sky Dragon! They're practically opposite elements!"

Rayla frowned. "Ya're a bloody Archmage, ya _know_ they're not!"

Callum shrugged again. "Whelp, as the _only_ Archmage, I'm now declaring that they are!"

"Ya can't do that!"

"Why not?" he teased back. "You can't exactly stop me from doing what I want, since…" a smirk creaked on his lips, "you're all the way over there." He raised a sly brow as an annoyed frown fell on Rayla's face.

He was so dead. "The second your shrivelled lil' wrinkly body crawls outta there, I'm beating ya with my bare hands!" Rayla roared as she stomped off. "C'mon kids, let's just sit in the cool shade while your father fools around!" She hurriedly led the two over to nearby tree and sat them down. Rayla now understood why Callum didn't let her bring her books or any of her gear, nothing else to entertain her and no weapons to throw at him. She hated that her husband was smart. As she sulked in the shade, she noticed Lian was boredly fingering a spool of grass whilst Isha looked over at the ocean.

They were as bored as her. This was Callum's fault. She knew what he was trying to do, but this was a family vacation. Not a moral life lesson or anything. He was ruining their fun. Lian released a bored sigh as Isha slumped her shoulders. Rayla reached over and patted her daughter's back. "It's alright sweetie," she lovingly soothed, "Ya don't have to play in the water."

Isha looked back at her mother and managed a small smile. "Okay Mum. I won't—"

A sudden heavy, loud splash disrupted their focus. All eyes flew over to the water, where they immediately widened at the sight of a twisted snake-like stream of water, twirling high into the sky. At the base, floated Zeusia, who looked as if she had just hopped off the high skyscraper of water. At the top, rested Callum, who was coasting alongside the twirling water, waving down at the three. "Geronimooo!" he whooped as he hopped off.

Rayla gasped as she covered her eyes. All she heard was a splash and a fit of laughter. Both Callum's _and _the kids'. She slowly peeked her eyes and saw the two laughing at their father splashing around. The two were closer to the sand and waving at him as he casually floated around his water tower. "See? Fun!"

"How'd ya do that Da?" Isha shouted.

"Ocean Magic, my little mage-in-training!" Callum shouted back. He lifted a finger and as it glowed bright blue, painted another Draconic symbol. Whispering into it, he pushed through the airborne letters and released a large wave out from under him. The wave skated across the shore of the beach and kept Callum afloat above, safe and sound. "If you want to learn…" he snapped his fingers and allowed himself to drop gracefully on the soft sand. "Hop in," he gestured a free hand toward her.

Isha smiled as she took a step forward. The second her food connected to the sand, she froze up and looked over to her mother. With a pleading look, her eyes asked it all, "Can I go?"

Rayla released a deep sigh and slowly nodded. "Be safe," she advised. Her daughter eagerly ran off, shedding herself of her garments with the acception of her wrappings underneath. Rayla watched with a strained smile as her daughter splashed in the water, laughing as her father attacked her with an obvious light and softened, water spell.

"Can I go too?"

She looked at her youngest, and felt her heart quake at his delicate question. He pouted at her as he shyly swung his hands at his sides. Rayla nodded once more. "Stay close to your Da and sister. Don't go far from the shore, ya hear?"

"Yes Ma!" Lian shouted as he ran away. Of course, being the young'un that he was, he forgot to shed himself of his clothes and dove right into the water. Callum gasped in shock as Isha laughed at her younger brother's antics. Rayla merely facepalmed at the sigh of her husband trying to pull off her son's now heavily wet clothes.

As she removed her hand she slowly smiled at the sight. At least they looked like they were having fun. Rayla knew that her kids got their fear of water from her. From their first baths, she realized that the fear had been instilled into them from her. Callum took responsibility of handling all baths after that, as he managed to amuse them with simple ocean spells to distract them during their cleaning. Rayla wished Magic could help her get over her fears. But she wasn't like her kids.

Isha had a knack for magic and inherited Callum's curiosity, so she was more attracted to Magic. She still learned the basics of self-defence, as Rayla wanted her to, but mainly devoted herself to her father's teachings. Lian was more flexible but had a definite interest in fighting, despite being so relatively young. His interest in combat arose the same time Rayla began training as a young elf. Yet the sight of Magic and spells still entertained Lian's young mind, so he watched whenever he could. They had their reasons for being interested, so they had their reasons to ignore the ocean and live in the magical moment.

And Rayla had…

Her face dropped to a frown. She had her kids, she had them to look forward to everyday, their smiles and laughter. She had a new pet, a Sky Dragon who she declared to protect and take care of for the rest of her life. And she had her husband. A lovable idiot who, despite knowing her deepest fear, still pursued the chance to help her conquer it. Rayla's face shifted to a small smile. She definitely had something to help her live in the moment. She had multiple things that made her look forward to every single day. She had her happiness.

She rose up from her spot and dusted away at her dress. With all that happiness, she could always shoot for ambitious goals. With a wide smile, she ran over to the shore. Running full speed, she jumped at her oblivious husband. With his back turned and in the middle of an incantation, she landed right on him. Wrapping her legs and arms around his entire body, she exclaimed, "I did it! I did it! I did it!" ignoring her husband's shrill shriek of surprise.

Callum stumbled his footing as he tried to balance himself out whilst also grabbing onto Rayla's legs. "Whoa whoa, careful Ray!" he advised as he found his footing. "Don't go saying you did anything yet, you're not even touching the water!" he started leaning back, smirking smugly as he did so.

Rayla's eyes widened as her grip tightened. "Don't drop me!" she squealed as she ducked her head into his back. Callum laughed as he stabilized himself. She quickly made a fist and lightly punched his back before grabbing back on him. "Shut it," she muttered.

"Ha, ha, Mum's scared!" Lian teased.

Isha erupted in a fit of giggles. "Aww, Ma's afraid of the water!"

Even Zeusia chimed in with her own yips of laughter.

Rayla's face flushed. "Oh knock it off ya lot!" she barked. "Ya were feeling the same too!"

Callum snickered. "Nah, I'm pretty sure they just felt bad for you."

Rayla frowned she arched back her other fist, but halted a she noticed the scene before her. With a smirk, she placed both hands on Callum's shoulders and pushed herself off him, sending him forward. Somersaulting through the air backwards, she perfectly landed on her feet and smiled at the confused bunch before her. With a sly wave of her fingers, their collective faces dropped as they realized the increasing noise behind them. As soon as they all turned around, a huge wave collapsed on top of them, immersing them in water for a good few seconds. Rayla laughed boisterously as she clenched onto her stomach, ignoring the annoyed faces of her kids. Callum merely smiled warmly back at her. Wiping a tear from her eye, she released a content sigh.

She supposed surprises weren't so bad every once in a while.

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_**A/N: I know it was kinda short, but I hope you all liked more of the Future Family AU! There'll definitely be a variety spread out over the course of this month, so stay tuned! H**__**ead over to rayllum-week-and-month on tumblr to follow and check out cool fanart/fics! And also to see the entire month's prompt agenda! Tomorrow's prompt: Stargazing.**_

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_**Review Responses:**_

_**Readhermione: **_I'm glad you liked it, because there'll definitely be more to come during the month!

**_GwenuitHolland: _**That's an interesting look on it, I'll be sure to keep that in mind when I'm writing the next one! Glad you enjoyed!

_**C. :**_ Hahaha, happy to see you think the same! I appreciate the kind words and will be sure to pace myself, that said, here you've got an entire month of content!

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**_I am _**definitely_** participating in the entire month, don't worry. There might be some delays, might stack up on some days, but there will be 31 fics for this month guaranteed. Not all will be long, not all will be good, and not all will make sense probably. But there'll be 31!**_

_**Until next time, **_

_**\- Bleh**_


	13. Clichéd Constellations (Month Day 2)

**_A/N: _****_So, there may be a lot more delays, as my Mac is kinda being an idiot right now, but I'll make sure to post ASAP! Now, I'll also keep AN in the beginning brief and simple, but leave my AN at the end with more. This is actually a continuation of the first oneshot of this whole collection series. Anyways, it's Day two, and without further ado, enjoy!_**

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**Chapter Summary: **_Another day, another night under the stars, another moment Rayla's left as an emotional disaster. How can she keep her cool and calm after the last time they did this? Trick question, she doesn't._

**Word Count: **1,770

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**Clichéd Constellations**

Clichés weren't always a bad thing. Rayla's come to realize that there are some moments in life, you just have to appreciate them for what they are. Moments. Just little snippets of reality, meant for you and only you. That was the philosophy Rayla stood behind, the idea she believed, all since she began crushing _hard_ on her travelling partner.

Sure, it was cliché for her to fall for him. What with only having a month's span of time together, realistically it made no sense. From the get go, she didn't exactly _hate _Callum. Rayla wasn't even sure if she was angry with him. She just wanted to do her duty. She wasn't even sure if she _could_ kill him. All she knew was that he looked in her eyes and sensed something. Like he knew she didn't want to do it, or that she wasn't going to do it. He just knew her.

He knew to trust her immediately too. On a whim, he betrayed his friend and ran to her aid, conjuring up a spell to save them both and his brother. A rocky and most bizarre start to a strange but fun adventure. The unlikely beginning of a travelling their entire journey, she's come to rely on him, depend on him like a partner. Even when he didn't trust her, she did with him. Because there was just something about him.

And from then on, they slowly found a mutual bond within each other. A shoulder to lean on, a laugh to share, and a target to tease. Slowly she found his smile to be the highlight of her days. She saw his unrelenting sarcasm and dry wit as funny in their own way. He just grew on her. More than she thought. Rayla didn't have all the answers. She just knew Callum was important. Important in their mission, important in becoming the first human Mage, important to her.

Turns out something inside her grew too.

Her heart.

Slowly, his laugh became an elated tune she swooned over. His perky smile made her feel warm inside. And his jokes, still dry and stupid, were somehow funnier than she ever remembered. But most importantly, his _hands_. Ever since that night under the stars, next to the campfire, Rayla couldn't help but _remember _his touch. They've held each other before—in embrace—but this was different. The way his hands slipped into hers so effortlessly. It just felt right just grew for Callum. Even with the slightest moment, the two of them just felt right to her. Even with a night under the stars.

"Are you sure that's a dragon?" Callum's question disrupted her deep focus, causing her to startle in her spot. He noticed her reaction and raised a brow. "Whoa, you okay?"

"Y-Yeah," she answered immediately. "I was just thinking for a moment. What was your question?" she innocently asked.

Callum raised his head up from the grass to gaze at Rayla with a more curious look. The two were lying side by side once again, hands just barely an inch away from each other. He chuckled, shaking his head as he laid back to look up at the sky once more. "The fact that you weren't even paying attention makes me believe it's not true even more."

Rayla looked back up at the sky and realized what he meant. She had just pointed out the constellation representing _Thunder_, the previous King of the Dragons, Zym's father. A topic that hadn't seemed to budge the sleeping dragon at their feet. She rolled her eyes at his statement. Unconsciously, she slipped her hand into his and dragged them about above them, pointing out the outlines of the stars. "That's his horns at the top, then if ya trace it down there, you faintly get—"

"A beard?" Callum guessed. His head turned in thought. "Dragons have beards?"

"Kings do apparently," Rayla teased.

"Hmm, you made that up," he accused in a childish tone.

She snorted. "Duh, not all kings have beards I'm sure."

"No not that, I mean that constellation," he argued, shaking his finger up at said stars. "It's just too big and weird."

Rayla frowned at his statement. "Your people have a constellation dedicated to some hunter guy."

"And yours have stories about a word in the sky," he shot back. Sensing her annoyance, Callum glanced at her. "If you have to make up constellations to feel cooler, that's fine. But don't knock down my stuff too," he cleverly added before gazing back at the stars.

She rolled her eyes as she brought her hand down. Or rather, _their_ hands down. Her face instantly reddened as she realized: they were still holding each other's hands. _Again_. This was the second night they stargazed, another night where they taught each other about their people's astronomy, and it happened again. Zym was tuckered away near their feet, their campfire was burning on its last few embers, and a flatbed of grass cushioned underneath their bottoms. The very first night it happened, Rayla knew what it meant to her. This was what started her whole debacle. And here it was, the very same situation, and it caught her off guard again.

It was just too easy. Scarily easy how they could just slip their hands into each other's with such ease. A night where there was an entire sky filled with stars, and Rayla's focus wasn't on the beauty above, but the boy beside her whose hand held hers. The constellations she pointed out outshone his, but he made a show of always being defensive. And she loved it. She loved hearing his people's stories about their stars, no matter how absurd they seemed. She loved making fun of them just to get a rise out of him. Rayla just loved how it _always_ worked too. Yes, she was far gone in the pits of smitten.

"Make it up to me," he spoke up.

"W-What?" she said, half in a daze and half out of confusion. She blinked at him as he smugly smiled.

"Show me another," he cheekily requested. "But a _real_ one this time," he teased.

A brief second passed and she realized what he was talking about. Rayla opened her mouth then paused. Quirking a brow, she stated, "But it's your turn."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but now I'm afraid the next one I show you're gonna say is either fake or make fun of it."

She scoffed. "Aww, c'mon, ya know I don't mean it!" He didn't budge the frown on his face. "Don't be such a baby!" After a few seconds of staring at him, she sighed. "What if I promise not to tease ya?"

"Swear?" he perked up with a somewhat hopeful look. He was such a child.

"Aye, my heart for Xadia," she winked at him. "I swear on it."

Callum seemed satisfied with her response, and somewhat embarrassed? A faint flush appeared on his cheeks, Rayla swore she saw, but he seemed to fight it back as he looked back at the sky. His focused remained above as Rayla's breath hitched. For she felt his hands momentarily tighten around hers, leading above their bodies. She extended her finger, and allowed him to lead it around. It was at this point, she usually just gave up on following his finger. Subconsciously, she would remember the outline, but outwardly, her gaze trained on the embrace of their hands. Her gazing was not on the unity of the stars above, but their conjoined gesture below.

"Done," he smiled proudly, lowering their hands once again.

Her eyes widened as she realized she actually wasn't paying attention this time. "Wh-What? Sorry, I didn't see."

He frowned at her. "Are you trying to tease me by making me redo it?"

She chuckled. "No! I just… lost it for a second. Try again?" She extended her finger and smiled as he reluctantly conceded. She needed to be more careful. It was getting real bad for her. As their hands traced the sky, Rayla was much more focused on the outline Callum was drawing for her. And for a second, she just couldn't believe it. It was very small, with the bottom of the image extending down with only three stars as its stem. But the top, it was clear as day. The cup-like form above, the small swirlish waves circled at the top, it was like a crude yet adorable attempt drawn by a child. It was a rose.

It looked… "Cute," she uttered out softly.

Callum raised his brows. "C'mon, you said you wouldn't tease!"

"I'm not!" she quickly defended. She smiled at Callum as she looked at his eyes, his sincere eyes. Because of course this meant a lot to him, of course it meant a lot that he showed her something so fragile and small. His passion was reserved on his sleeve, barely sheltered by his cuff whenever it was just them. Rayla knew this. He hadn't shown her his drawings yet, as that was a step in a whole new direction. But this was a step forward. He was letting her see more of himself. "What's it called?" she curiously asked.

"Nothing special," Callum shrugged. "_The Rose_," he simply supplied.

"Simple works," Rayla shot back.

"Yeah… my—" he stopped himself. Rayla noticed and glanced over at his fallen expression. It looked saddened, but also laced with a small sense of content. There was something there. "Someone once said that to me," he continued. Someone close. "She once told me that roses were a symbol of romance, and that whenever a couple found themselves underneath the brightness of _The Rose_, it'd seal their fates as lovers. So… as simple as it was, it works." Callum's face slowly grew into a small smile. "Ridiculously cheesy, I know."

Rayla squeezed his hand, causing him to look back at her. "I don't think so," she softly said, "I mean roses, a night under the stars, that definitely sounds like a romantic moment." She smiled at him. "Whoever… told ya that, they must've had a nice experience of their own."

Callum gently nodded. "They did."

A firm embrace between a few folded fingers, and a sea of stars scattered high above—it was sweet. Rayla knew it. It was the definition of cliché, and no doubt was something she'd blush about the morning after. But she didn't care. Whatever was buried inside her mind subsided because it just didn't matter. The moment between them was brighter than any star above them that night anyways.

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_**A/N: **_**_I think I can appreciate this more because it was simply just a moment. Alas, no acting on true feelings, just an appreciation for what they've got now. Callum's story, now, I think it's obvious who it alludes to and who's relationship it's about. But also, might foreshadow what's to come? Hmmm?_**

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**_Review responses:_**

_**SassySapphire: **Yes indeed, I am back and ready to attack! With 31 fics... Might be a lot, but I'll do my best! Hope you stick around!_

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**_Anyways, tomorrow is Day 3: Confession. It's here, the big one._**

**_Until next time,_**

**_\- Bleh_**


	14. Compromise (Month Day 3)

_**A/N: Alas, the big moment has risen. Confession. Folks, it is time.**_

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_**Chapter Summary: **__It's been bothering Rayla for weeks now. She just has to come out and say it, or else she never will._

_**Word count: 1,543**_

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**Compromise**

Rayla realized it was getting increasingly difficult to avoid Callum these days. What with the fact that, they travelled together _the entire day_ and what not. After making it across the borders of Xadia, their pace gradually slowed. And with good reason. Security in Xadia was ten times greater than that of the human kingdoms, and so patrol scouts were a constant issue for their party. Couple that up with the multiple towns along their way, the two decided caution and pacing would be a better approach. So each day began with a decent trek, then ended around evening with a decent camp set up in either a clearing or cave. Rarely ever would they make the risk to rest in an inn, mainly because of their low income or lack thereof.

Regardless, that meant a good approximate twelve hours of their day was spent with the two going on a stroll with a baby Storm Dragon. Zym would casually saunter between the two, perkily yipping and smiling at every possible turn. Callum remained simply enamoured with every piece of scenery they came across. The flora and fauna became notes of his that he wished to sketch one day, and the towns exerted this energetic culture he seemed to envy. Rayla knew her companions were enjoying their travelling.

But she was struggling. Not because her partners were a nuisance, or were slowing her down. But because a recent development of their very first night in an inn, set a large fire inside Rayla. Now, each and every night she made an effort to delay or progress themselves to the point where taking residence in a town or village was _not_ an option. Because while she loved sleeping in beds and wrapping herself up in nicely made blankets, she just had to avoid the discomforting thoughts that came with staying at an inn. She had to avoid them at all costs.

"Hey Rayla, you said the next town's only two hours away right?" the artist suddenly spoke up. Her face slightly dropped, but the boy was a foot ahead and was set on looking forward. "I bet if we hustle we'll make it just in time for sun-down!" He offered a warm smile as he glanced down at Zym. "Whattya think buddy, think we'll make it?" An excited yip from him was all he needed to hear. "What about you Rayla?"

She smiled at him. "Uhh, I suppose so," she answered. "But, are ya sure ya can make it? I don't mind sleepin' outside."

Callum shook his head. "Nah we can do it. Besides, I know how much you love the beds in the inns!" He laughed as he began hurried his pace, waving both Rayla and Zym to follow. "Plus, gives me more of a reason to try out my elf impression!"

Rayla rolled her eyes. "Fine fine," she chuckled. "But I'm _so not_ witnessing that embarrassment again! This time, _I'm_ talking!" she shouted as she ran after the boy.

::::

"One bed again… huh?"

Rayla's luck was just terrible.

Callum awkwardly laughed as he set his bags down on the nightstand beside their bed. It was pathetically small, most likely intended for one person, but they didn't exactly have spending money for a two beds nor a bigger one. "Whelp, maybe this means the blankets are softer?" the boy suggested as he began feeling the material laid out. His face grew into a smile. "Ooh, Ray, it _is _soft!" he said in awe.

She forced a smile at him. "Are… are ya sure ya're comfortable sharin' with me?" she gently asked. "I-I can sleep on the floor, we do have camping gear after all, it wouldn't be any worse than a cave—"

"Pfft, c'mon," he casually waved his hand, "I know you prefer the bed! Besides, we've slept in worse conditions right?"

Rayla's face flushed as she recalled the last inn. A shared bed, a small blanket, a very, _very_ _close_ embrace—

"Rayla?" She met his concerned stare. "You okay? You're kinda red."

She shook her head. Her cheeks were really warm. "O-Oh, yeah, I'm fine," she awkwardly smiled. She rubbed her arm as she made her way over to the bed. "It just looks cramped is all."

Callum's face fell into a frown. "Hey, if it bothers you that much you know _I _can sleep on the floor—"

"_No_!" His eyes went wide. Rayla shut her mouth as she took a deep breath. "I… it's fine. We can share. But… ya can go to bed first. I'll keep watch for bit, just to be safe." She turned around and walked over to the window, intently focused on avoiding—and ignoring—Callum's gaze. She was doing a terrible job at hiding her problems. "Callum, go to bed," she ordered.

He sighed. "Rayla… just tell me, what's bothering you?"

She turned around. "Nothin'."

"Nothing?"

"Nothin'," she affirmed.

"Really?"

"_Really_," she gritted her teeth.

Callum smugly raised a brow. "Your tone suggests otherwise…"

She stomped her foot. "_Callum_!"

He raised his arms. "Don't get all mad!" He laughed. Zym took the opportunity to jump up into the bed. "She's being ridiculous, right?" Zym tipped and left his tongue to hang. "See? Zym agrees!"

"No he doesn't," Rayla frowned.

Callum rolled his eyes. "Well he certainly thinks your being weird." He shot the dragon another look. "Right?" Zym nodded, then rolled over on his back, offering his belly up to Callum. He easily complied and began scratching the young prince's stomach. "Now why can't you tell me what's bothering you?"

Rayla sighed. "It's… complicated…" she muttered under her breath.

"What?"

"I said it's complicated!"

"How so?"

She rolled her eyes. "Because it is!"

He frowned. "Then I'll sleep on the floor."

"No!"

"Then you want to sleep on the floor?"

"Yeah—I mean, I'd prefer not to but—"

"Then what's wrong?" he asked. Rayla stopped herself from shouting in frustration as she saw the innocent expression plastered on his face. She realized she wasn't exactly being open about her issue, and so she wasn't exactly helping. "If it's about sharing, we've done it plenty of times already. Heck, we've even done it in caves too even though we didn't need to!" He smiled. "I think we're comfortable enough around each other to the point we can handle sharing a bed."

"That's _exactly_ the issue!" she screamed.

Zym startled at the pitch and shot yo on his feet whilst Callum jumped in his seat, clearly shaken from her scream. The two merely stared at each other for a moment, Callum confused and Rayla red-faced. Zym glanced back and forth between the two, curiously expecting some sort of development to occur. After a good moment, Callum rubbed the back of his head. He let out a laugh as he looked at Rayla. "I'm… sorry?" His smile seemed to grow as he innocently shrugged. "Guess I never considered that sharing a bed with my girlfriend would be such a problem?"

Rayla released a long and annoyed groan. "No it's not because of _that_, ya idiot," she barked, ignoring the smugness laced within his smile. "I'm just… ugh!" She crossed her arms as she kicked the dust at her feet. "Nevermind, it's stupid," she mumbled as she walked over to the other side of the bed. "Let's just sleep!" she suggested after she blew out the candle and sat down at the edge.

Callum chucked as he leaned over across the bed and knelt behind her. "_Ray_…" he softly teased, "c'mon…" He wrapped his arms around her, offering a small peck at her cheek.

She sighed once more. "Fine…" she relented. Turning around, she faced him with resolve as he backed away to create some space. "I wanna be lil' spoon tonight."

He stared at her, befuddled. "What?"

"Nearly every single night we've… _cuddled_, ya've been the lil' spoon. I wanna be lil' spoon," she asserted more defensively. "One night ya tossed over and I… like being lil' spoon," she admitted with a small smile.

Callum raised a brow and opened his mouth.

"But I know ya like it too!" she quickly added, lowering her head. "So I don't wanna take that away from ya, because I _also_ like spooning ya too…" she hastily muttered under her breath. "So… I'd just… I'd prefer if we can make a compromise…" As soon as she looked up she regretted it.

Callum was trying so hard not to laugh, it looked like it was hurting his face. She scowled at him. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" he hastily apologized. "But…" he snorted. "Rayla… c'mon, it's us," he smiled, "of course we can work out a compromise!"

She let out a sigh of relief, then smiled. "I… I know."

Callum laughed as he laid down on the bed, patting the empty space in front of him. "Now c'mon, we'll sort out the Spoon Schedule in the morning—"

"Don't call it that."

"—for now, allow me to cuddle with my girlfriend," he cheekily declared.

With a happy nod, Rayla slipped into the comfort of her boyfriend's arms, signing contently as he slipped his arms around her. Being a little spoon was a pleasure. She'd confess to that any day.

* * *

_**A/N: Okay yeah so nothing new, I copped out of an actual confession once again. I'm sorry, but I'm not! It's just way too fun to have them beat around the bush about something so small compared to the actual problems they have to deal with. Plus, I wanted to write about how the topic of their whole... "Spoon Schedule" came to be because a lot of you seemed to like how they do that! And here it is!**_

_**Now, tomorrow is Sunrise/Sunset kiss. This one will be a continuation from the sunrise/sunset prompt I did for Rayllum week, so it's now a twoshot. Be sure to follow on tumblr for posts and all the like!**_

_**Until next time, **_

_**\- Bleh**_


	15. Good Greetings (Month Day 4)

_**A/N: This one is a continuation from the last sunrise/sunset oneshot titled, "A Sight to See." By continuation, I mainly just mean it follows after, nothing like, plot important, it just falls in the same theme. Now, enjoy!**_

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_**Chapter Summary: **__Rayla likes sunrises now. It's as simple as that. With the way she wakes up, she has good reason to._

_Callum likes taking evening naps. It's as simple as that. With the way he goes to bed, he has good reason to._

_In actuality, they're just a couple of sappy kids._

_**Word count: 952**_

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**Good Greetings**

Warmth.

That was the way Rayla's mornings always began. The very second her mind started to retain some semblance of consciousness, she felt a comforting warmth press up against her forehead. And each and every morning, she smiled with her eyes shuttered because she knew the source of her warm rise was none other than the Mage sleeping with her. Or rather, awaken before her. The very second she peered her eyes open, they were met with a glowing, graceful sunrise outlining itself around the one boy she admired so much. In other words, a very _good_ start to a day.

"Well, someone certainly looks happy," Callum teased as he stroked a loose strand of hair from Rayla's face.

She chuckled as she blinked her eyes into focus. "What? Can't a girl just enjoy a nice mornin'?" she inquired with an elated pitch. Rising up, she propped her elbow on the grass beneath her and rested her face in the palm of her hand. "Besides, the morning view's certainly something."

The boy before her developed a small blush, but shook it off with a laugh. "How is it that it's been barely a minute and you already have something to quip?" he pondered at her with a longing look, to which she smiled gleefully.

"Well how do ya nearly always manage to wake up a minute before me, just in time for a morning kiss?" she shot back.

He proudly smirked. "It's easy to wake up when you're reminded of something important," Callum stated confidently.

Rayla rolled her eyes. "In that case," she leaned over, bridging the gap between them with only a hair of an inch, "I guess ya can say the same for my quips!"

Callum grinned. "Good to know I'm important too."

"Like ya didn't already know," she mused, lightly thumping his chest.

"Good to be reminded every now and then." He winked back.

"Aye, but how 'bout ya remind me how good morning kisses are?" she teased with an arched brow. "I've seem to forgotten?"

A sly smirk formed on his lips. "Gladly." And a comforting heat soon exchanged between them.

::::

Warmth.

The very exact feeling Callum felt every single evening, before taking his evening nap. Not often did he do so, but when the opportunity was presented or if that was the only chance for rest, Callum would find himself embraced with a pair of soft, supple lips up against his temple. A sudden warmth would stir up inside his mind, and then like wildfire, spread throughout his body—creating a tingling sensation that would send him into a comforting slumber. This presence lasted him a good cycle of sleep, enough to dream a good dream, with _a lot_ more warmth involved, but most importantly made him feel safe.

He spared a quick, cheeky peek at the perpetrator and smiled at the sight of the girl sneakily walking away. She would always be perched a good distance away, crouched down at some vantage point perfect for her highly trained ears. She always made sure to look away, her back toward him as if she knew he would be peeking at her. Of course, she knew he knew, but she still made the effort of hiding it. She simply just crossed her arms and glanced off into the distance, eyes toward the horizon of the setting sun. Callum couldn't help but gander at the gleam outlined before him.

It was perfect.

She stood there, basking in the remaining light of the sun, cautiously looking off to their surroundings, wary as ever. She glistened with the streams of sunlight and relaxed in the comfort of a slowly rising darkness—her element. Callum gave up on fighting his smile the first time around. At this point, it was routinely of him to watch her before he slept. Which, obviously sounded creepy out of context, so he never made a habit of bringing it up in fear of relentless teasing.

"Oi, go to sleep."

And, so much for that attempt.

He released a fake snore as he shut his eyes.

Rayla giggled. "For real," she slightly pressed. He could hear her footsteps approaching. "Or is this flat cave too hard on your bottom?" she asked in a baby voice.

Callum peeked one eye open and smirked at her taunting pout. "Hardy har," he sarcastically shot back. "It's not the ground, it's the lack of comfort that has me so _restless_!" he dramatically exclaimed.

Rayla rolled her eyes. "I'm not cuddling. I told ya, I take watch for a bit," she stoically stated.

He pouted back. "Well how can I sleep?" He furrowed his brows as he grew a frown, "You kissing me all the time before I wink out certainly doesn't help me tucker out. In fact it's the opposite effect!" The assassin's brows rose. "Oh, not… not in _that way_, but—you know what I mean!" he hastily shouted.

Rayla burst into a fit of giggles, kneeling closer to the boy at her feet as she held her stomach. Callum merely watched with a blank face as his girlfriend tried to compose herself. "Sorry, sorry, I'm tryin'—"

"To tease me."

"Aye, always," she cleverly quipped. Proudly smug at his frown, Rayla sunk down and grabbed Callum's head with both hands, holding both cheeks within her palms. "But, no, seriously? Do me a favour and _actually_ try to catch a few winks?" She leaned in and pecked his lips, kissing his edges ever so delicately. So brief, but long lasting—just like the sunset. "We'll cuddle later."

Callum sighed as he watched her walk back to her spot. What a ridiculous request. Like it was that easy.

* * *

_**A/N: This is actually a cool achievement for me because this is the shortest oneshot I've ever written and I'm actually quite proud of it! That's not to say I'm going to keep writing oneshots less than 1000K words from now on. I've just always wanted to write one that's 1000K but also something that I'm satisfied with, and this turned out good! **_

* * *

_**Review Response:**_

_**SassySapphire: **Whelp, at this point you really shouldn't be surprised. :P. Sorry, but that is true, 28 or I guess now, 27 more oneshots to go. Who knows what other twists I might try? Sorry to disappoint!_

* * *

_**Tomorrow? Flowers! This one actually had me stumped for awhile. boy, it is a toughy. **_

_**Until next time,**_

_**\- Bleh**_


	16. Picking Pain & Plants (Month Day 5)

_**A/N: This one was fun to write! Today is about flowers! That's all I got... I'm not exactly... flowering with jokes... eh? eh? Alright just read it.**_

* * *

**_Chapter Summary: _**_For some reason, Callum's got a sudden infatuation with picking flowers. And Rayla's left to do damage control after he realizes not all plants in Xadia are child friendly._

_**Word Count: 2,155**_

* * *

**Picking Pain & Plants**

"What're you doing?"

The sudden arrival of Rayla's voice sent Callum into a startled shriek. He stumbled away from the bush, ungracefully landing on his rear and hands. He looked over at the confused Elf, who was notably holding Zym in her arms. He too perked his head in interest, curious about what was going on. Rayla however, remained concerned. Her face scrunched up with worried brows as her lips dropped to a pout. In all honesty, Callum had no idea what he was doing himself.

He never thought picking flowers would be so hard, yet here he was. Covered in dirt and soil, a few questionable stains that either came from the flora he was set to remove, or some creature of some sort. Regardless, he had no back up plan.

"Ummm… picking… flowers?" he slowly edged out.

Rayla's expression remained as it was, worried and confused. "Why?"

"Uhh… because they looked pretty?" he took a shot in the dark. It wasn't exactly false, they were beautiful. It was precisely the reason why he was drawn to them in the first place. Near the base of the olive coloured bush, laid an assortment of blue-violet flowers, with the petals forming a ball-like cup, and the stamen coated over with a light luminescent yellow. It reminded him of her. And like a child on instinct, he stopped in his tracks and immediately tried to pick some. But as it turned out, flowers have these things called roots, and so Callum was met with some resilient force.

Rayla merely stood still and stared at Callum as he helped himself to his feet. "But… those are…" she seethed as her shoulders rose in fear. "Ya _do know_ those are poisonous, right?"

Callum's face dropped within an instant. And then so did his body.

:::

After a short seven minutes, Rayla managed to cleanse Callum of the irritation contact that arose from the flowers he had been interested in. The two were sitting on a nearby log, with Zym encouragingly watching from the base of their feet as Rayla worked her magic—figuratively, not literally. With a dab of a cold wet cloth, she caressed his hands, carefully observing them as she did so. "Yeesh, what made ya want to stop and sniff the roses?" she jested, dabbing his palms once more.

"They looked pretty," he repeated once more, as if that was an answer.

"No duh," she replied, "I meant, what made ya just stop walking and just start going on a flower hunt?" Rayla looked up at Callum. It was then she noticed how elusive his eyes were, how deadset they seemed on staring at Zym. "Callum?" She followed his sightline and realized he was actually staring at the set of flowers he attempted to collect. "_Callum_."

Like he'd been awoken from a daze, he whipped his head back at her. "Yeah?"

"What is up with ya and those flowers?" she inquired.

He shrugged. "What can I say? They look pretty."

She scoffed as she dabbed his hand once more, _hard_. As he winced from the cold sting, she shot him a look. "Now ya might not be able to feel your hands for an hour or so. They're numb from all the contact they've had and all the odour they've picked up. Ya're not allowed to pick anything up until ya can feel them again, okay?" He seemed uninterested, or at least, more amused at the idea and so Rayla followed up with a remark, "Next time something's pretty, sketch it instead of touching it, okay?"

He merely chuckled softly in response.

She felt weird, about how lacklustre that was of a reply, and so she added, "Be more careful, okay?"

Callum nodded. "Yes Ma'am." he offered a two fingered salute and smiled.

Zym immediately perked up and hopped onto his lap and with that, they continued their trek.

::::

Their walk was short lived. Callum knew he was getting distracted, but he couldn't help it. It wasn't because he couldn't feel his hands. Though the numbness was annoying and very discomforting, he simply ignored the strange feeling as he looked around. Xadia just had so many beautiful things. The flora practically emitted magic from their roots. The wildlife seemed to bask in magical prowess and beauty, it just left him dumbfounded. All this wondrous light, and it all seemed to precious and pure. Everything caught his eye. He wanted to sketch it all, to roughly lay out the background and foreground and establish a set of colours—to canvas this world with a poor copy of a painting, because he could never _actually_ capture such scenery. It was all so beautiful.

And it all reminded him of her so much.

Rayla's home was definitely a place filled with exciting adventures. He doubted she ever got bored within the borders of Xadia. Every acre they walked turned up newer and more magical walks of life and setting. The insects and birds, the sounds of their instrumental chirping and hollering, were an elegance of their own. The array of plants and leaves, with how they arranged themselves into a scattered but coloured pathing, it was mesmerizing. Vines hanging high and low of strange patterned cold colour schemes. Bushes had bold colder but more beautiful, eye catching combinations spread around them.

It wasn't long before Callum found himself distracted again. A good hour into their walk, starting from their recent hiccup, was slightly smooth sailing before he noticed another collection of flowers. These ones were at the foot of a tree, and stemmed fairly close together from the ground. Their stems were a dark green, pricked with spots of olive. The petals were also cupped, like the ones before, but were violet with splashes of olive coated around the edges, and its stamen—a glowing white beacon.

It was easily the eye of Callum's beholder.

He spared one glance ahead of him, noticing Rayla's attention seemed focused on Zym and his perky desire to munch on every insect in sight. Now was his chance. This time, Callum approached the flowerset slowly and carefully, readying his fingers around the stems as he squatted down before them. His hands hesitated as his eyes reflected the golden gleam of the white stamen within the flowers. It was just so captivating. Slowly, his hands curled around a good bunch, grouping together four flowers. There was a slight, strange feeling he felt from holding them close, but he chalked that up to the numbness in his hands.

With one quick motion, he swept his hands high, yanking the bunch straight out from the ground. It turned out he used a lot more force than he anticipated, and so he flew back from his squat and fell on his back. During his fall, he caught a brief flash of the flowers within his grasp, launching high above him and scattering about. It was a pain, as he now had to gather them and neatly arrange them, but his focus was more on the _actual_ pain stemming from his palms.

Releasing a loud, painful wail, Callum rolled around on the ground, screaming in agony as he clenched his now bleeding hands. The pain was so sharp and cold, it stung worse than any wasp. The last he recalled before passing out was a worried Zym rushing to his aid, and very terrified looking Rayla kneeling beside him. Bright side was he could at least feel his hands again.

::::

After a good fifteen minute break, Callum finally came to. And was immediately met with a fury of rage. "What the hell were ya thinkin'?" Rayla shouted. "Ah, I know the answer, ya weren't!" she hastily added, "Why would ya start touching things when ya know nothin' about the area!" She paced back and forth, shaking her head as she continued, "Honestly, ya've got me thinkin' ya have some sorta death wish or somethin'! After what _just_ happened earlier this mornin', why would ya touch _more_ flowers! Especially ones with thorns!"

Zym remained seated during her rant, simply glancing back and forth between the two. Callum was laying down on a sleeping bag they recently acquired, wrapped heavily in a blanket. Well tucked in too. He barely managed to make sense of what Rayla was ranting about, as his senses were just returning. He instantly winced as he moved his hands, a reaction that definitely caught Rayla's attention. "Hey, don't move!" she ordered, stomping her foot at him, losing all sense of bite in her tone. "Your bandages are still new, I don't wanna ruin 'em!"

Callum nodded as he sunk back down. "Right… of course…" he managed to say.

That seemed to light a fury in Rayla's eyes. "Oh don't go actin' like ya _finally_ understand me! Because if ya had, ya wouldn't be like this to begin with!" she shouted, waving her arms about infuriatingly. "What the hell were ya even touching those for? And don't ya _dare_ say it was 'cause they looked pretty!" she barked out, pointing an accusatory finger his way with a vengeance.

"I…" Callum closed his mouth.

Rayla raised a skeptical brow, expecting a witty remark or a cleverly thought out retort of some sort, but nothing followed out of the Mage's mouth. Nothing except his element, just a breath of air exhaled from his lips as he hung his head low. Since when did he ever do that? He simply accepted defeat without a fight. "What is up with ya?" she softly asked.

Callum glanced up from his sadness and let out a sigh. "It's… it's stupid."

Rayla rolled her eyes as she knelt before the boy. She wanted to push, but she knew better than to stay mad. "Callum, ya've done plenty stupid things. The list can't get any worse," she mused. It was a slam on him, but in a more light-hearted reassuring way. He managed a small smile, which in turn made Rayla smile back.

Another deep breath, and Callum shook his head. "I… I just…" he glanced over at his bag, which laid near him. Beside it, rested his satchel sketchbook. He reached over and began flipping through the pages, ignoring Rayla's obvious confusion. "I just wanted to give you something that well… reminded you of how… cool you are," his voice dropped into a soft spoken hesitance as he turned the book toward her, "But I don't think this means anything."

Rayla's hands trembled as she held Callum's precious book, the one thing she had never been able to see for herself, let alone hold. The page he'd shown her, was a rough sketch of a flower. It didn't look like it was of an actual flower, or at least, not of one they had passed on their travels. It was very sharp, with its stems pricking outward a coat of small thorns, shaded with extensive care and reworks. The petals bloomed into a wide spread, each one folding intricately into the next—similar to that of a ball gown, creating a puffy outline of petals surrounding a stud of a stamen in the centre. It was small and the buds were very round, sketched to a perfection of a sphere, but it was captivating. It was just a flower.

Rayla blinked out of her trance as she realized she'd been staring for a while now. She glanced at Callum, and noticed his shyness enveloping him. Rayla looked to Zym, who seemed to encouragingly nod over to the sulking artist. Right, Rayla remembered, words are what he needed. She continued to blink at the drawing in awe. Like, any words would have to do. "It's… wow…" She looked back at Callum as she very cautiously thumbed over the details of the drawing. "What made ya want to do this?" came her soft question.

Callum's gaze did not stray from the grass. "I… I dunno… I just wanted to try sketching flowers. But, after I saw all the ones today—they all seem so much better." He raised his head at Rayla as he found her eyes. "Because every single one reminded me of you… and your culture and well…" his voice trailed off as his gaze flew elsewhere, "they… for… you," he muttered under his breath.

Rayla's brows rose as she processed what he was trying to say. Taking one more glance between the sketch and the artist, she was dumbfounded. She shook her head as she leaned over. Placing a hand on his shoulder, she said, "I was wrong… ya are stupid," she thumped the top of his head with his own sketchbook, then flashed a pearly white smile. "For even thinkin' that a flower made by ya wouldn't outshine all the others."

She stood up and admired the piece one more, before handing it back. "When ya get the chance, 'pick' me some more would ya?"

* * *

_**A/N: It was fun making Callum pick all those flowers because his reasoning seems to me the kind of conclusion he'd usually make. But also, he's an idiot so of course he'd just go around and start touching random plant life. Because why not? Tomorrow is Moonberry Juice! Twoshot relation to the other oneshot titled, "Confession." **_**_Expect delays!_**_**  
**_

_**Until next time, **_

_**\- Bleh**_


	17. Sharing is Caring (Month Day 6)

_**A/N: So this is part two of the oneshot titled, "Confession." So, enjoy!**_

* * *

_**Chapter Summary: **After the spectacle of Callum's confession, Rayla's left to sit by and watch as Callum tries to redeem himself for his mistakes. The only issue is that it's just as hard on her as it is for him, to watch._

_**Word Count: 1,696**_

* * *

**Sharing is Caring**

Rayla wasn't exactly big on revenge. Or rather, she just had a strong sense of justice. She had never taken a life before, even though she knew that the reasons she fought for were justified, she also knew balance would never be restored. She understood that punishment must be dealt to people who commited ill deeds, but acting out of spite of revenge would only loop an endless cycle. Callum taught her that. He taught her that change has to start somewhere, and while it may be difficult, some have to start changing things even if it's harder on them. And right now, things were especially hard on Rayla.

It was late into the night. This time, they decided to go the extra mile and really push themselves before taking camp, and so they continued walking well into the evening. The moon was bright out, and the land around them illuminated from its reflected light as well as the natural lighting from the plant life. They had taken shelter in a small cave, just at the foot of a hillside. Rayla had taken the opportunity to keep watch whilst Callum set up a campfire. But alas, the moment Rayla dreaded had come, dinner.

Due to their limited amount of resources and time, food had always been a second priority in travelling. They usually made room for about two to three meals a day, but what those meals often lacked… satisfaction. They would be enough to get the nutrients needed to get them energized and going, however, saying they were pleased with their meal would be a stretch. Feeding Zym was never really an issue as wherever they spent the night, there was almost always a nest of insects or a group of bugs ripe for Zym's taking. It was only a matter of looking away when he feasted on the insectoids. Their usual routine would be picking the berries around their area, and since they were in Xadia, they had a large spread of moonberries at their disposal.

Or at least, that was the plan.

But a recent discovery ended with… a drastic change in meal plans. And now? Rayla just couldn't help but feel guilty for what she was putting her boyfriend through. Their current situation stood as this, Zym was off nearby a small crack in the wall, pestering a swarm of ants he'd seen upon entering the cave. Rayla was enjoying herself to a baked sunberry bread she had heated over the campfire, courtesy of her Callum—for both the bread and the campfire. As she munched on her chewy soft bread, she chewed with a frown as she heard the discomforted noises erupting behind her. Guilt eating up inside her, she couldn't fight her urge to look back at him. And she instantly regretted it.

Rayla was met with a very pitiful sight. Callum, who was sat beside the campfire, was in the middle of downing another bottle of moonberry juice. Or rather, forcing himself to. Upon reaching halfway of his recent bottle, Callum's face scrunched up as he removed the drink from his lips, gagging at the opportune moment of air. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve as he launched himself into a coughing fit. Wincing at each cough, Rayla let out a deep sigh.

"Ya know… I _do_ have sunberry bread to spare," she spoke up. Picking a piece off and gesturing toward him, she offered, "Ya can have some."

Instantaneously, Callum glanced over at Rayla and rapidly shook his head. Smiling apologetically, he raised the half empty bottle and said, "No, no! This is fine! I just… drank too much too quickly is all. Went down my throat roughly." He let out a laugh and then proceeded to chug the bottle whole. "Besides, it's like you said, these have all the basic nutrients needed to get through a day!"

Rayla managed a small smile as she watched him pop open another bottle. Any thoughts or words she had in mind dissipated at the sight of Callum reluctantly downing another bottle of moonberry juice. Rayla let out another sigh as she chewed on the piece she picked off. He had been like this ever since the night she learned he hated moonberry juice. Ever since, Callum started giving Rayla his sunberry bread and as well let her have full rights over their spending, allowing her to buy whatever she wanted to eat. Callum on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with it. It seemed like he was suddenly very adamant about ingesting moonberry juice and moonberry juice alone. He told Rayla he learned to make it himself from watching her, and started going off on escapades to satisfy his quench.

In actuality, Rayla knew he just felt guilty. And it hurt her that he was being so stubborn about it. Another cough echoed throughout the cave, causing Rayla to release an annoyed groan.

"Callum for the love of Xadia, just have some of my bread!" she shouted, whipping her body around as she waved the loaf in the air. "Ya're practically choking yourself over there!"

Callum desperately shook his head as he raised the bottle at her. "No, no, no, I'm—"

"Not fine," Rayla interjected. "Ya're not fine in any way! Honestly, just have some of my bread, ya bought this too!"

"It's for you though, and Zym, if he wants some," Callum pointed out. "I can," a cough escaped him, "I can handle… this." He cleared his throat and smiled at Rayla, proud as ever.

"Ya make it sound like ya're _dying_," she stressed with a blank face. "I get it, ya don't like moonberry juice! Stop suffering over there and makin' me feel bad and we'll swap!" She gestured her bread toward the boy, and with a free hand, motioned him to come forward.

"_No_," Callum persisted. "I might not like the flavour, but I can learn to love it."

"Callum, that's the dumbest thing ya said _today_," Rayla monotonously fired back. "Ya don't have to force yourself to like or love anythin' if it's hard for ya. Besides, I prefer moonberry juice over this sunberry bread anyways, so…"

"But I was hiding it from you for weeks," Callum addressed, with a small voice. "And… that was a very stupid thing for me to do. You were out foraging and collecting food for us and I spent our money on food for myself because I couldn't stomach something that saved us money." He sighed as he sunk his head. "I… need to make it up to you, so…" he raised the bottle high. "Bottom's up!" Before Rayla could even stop him, he chugged the remainder of the drink, letting it pass deep into his throat. Not even a second had passed, and the poor Mage's face instantly filled with a repulsive look, almost as if he was wishing he could vomit. Rayla winced at the very audible gag he released, and sighed as he threw himself into another coughing fit.

Having enough of his stupidity, Rayla walked over to Callum. She sat before him and gestured the bread toward the boy. "Eat this," she ordered.

"But I'm—"

"Not fine at all," Rayla interjected. Trying again, she shook the bread in his face and narrowed her brows. "_Eat this_," she sternly spoke, "Or so help me Thunder, I'll shove it down your throat!"

Immediately the Mage swiped the bread out of her hands and munched away. As he chewed his bread, Rayla let out a sigh of relief as she watched him eat _and _savour his meal for a change. She glanced down at the pack of bottles laid out beside him. It was a simple three by six, tied together by thread. The same six bottles they washed and reused for the countless refills of moonberry juice. The same bottles that started this whole fiasco. Rayla picked up a spare bottle and observed it, smiling at the familiar item.

"It's really rough on your throat, isn't it?" she stated nonchalantly.

Callum swallowed, and with much reluctancy, nodded. "It feels too… viscous, it's so thick but bitter, I just, I can't enjoy the taste."

Rayla scoffed as she placed the bottle back on the ground. "Because it's like medicine. Good medicine tastes bitter."

Callum chuckled. "Is that your way of saying you're taking care of me?"

Rayla laughed in response, throwing a light punch against Callum's shoulder. "Hah! When ya do dumb stuff like this it's kinda hard not to!" The two shared another laugh that seemed to peak Zym's interest, causing him to retreat and return to their sides. They dwelled in a comforting silence before Rayla spoke. "I… I appreciate that ya wanted to make it up to me," she lightly began, "but, don't go forcing yourself to do anything ya don't like. Especially if it's for me." Her eyes remained heartfelt and soft as she pierced through Callum's hesitance. "Because I want ya to enjoy your own things too."

He smiled at her. "I… it was just about that. I think as a well… what we are now, travelling together as… a couple, I need to step up," he admitted earnestly. "I wouldn't mind suffering if it was for you."

A brief flash of Dark Magic and passed out Callum flew into Rayla's mind for a moment.

She frowned. Shaking her head, she placed a hand on her boyfriend's shoulder, staring into his eyes. "Thank ya…" she smiled, "It means a lot to me that ya'd be willing to do that, because I would too… for you." Callum seemed to brighten at the reply and motioned to take another bite, but was stopped by Rayla's grip. He confusedly glanced at her soft eyes. "But," she added, "I'd appreciate it if suffering wasn't a necessity…"

Callum opened his mouth then stopped himself. He looked contemplative but managed a small nod. "We'll see." It was a safe response. It was a reasonable response. It made Rayla happy. "We'll try."

With a smile, she followed up with a wink as she raised the moonberry juice once more. "Aye, I'll drink to that."

* * *

_**A/N: This kinda turned out into a mess in the end, but I'm happy with out it worked out. Sort of. I dunno, but I hope you all enjoyed it! Because I've got bad news! My Mac's getting repaired and the ETA of its return is to be determined, so I've been relying on a family computer, meaning my occupying time on it is very limited! And so, the rate of churning out these fics might dwindle late into the nights, like probably just before midnight-at best at least. This will be a small setback, but not for all of July! That aside, tomorrow's prompt is Fireflies. And boy, are these getting harder for me. **_

_**Until next time,**_

_**\- Bleh**_


	18. Favourites - College AU (Month Day 7)

_**A/N: **_**_So this took a lot longer than expected. This was hard to write because I already did a firefly type prompt and I don't want to keep doing repeats and additions to the old stuff. That said, I've done another addition to the College AU. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯_**

**_yeah, yeah, but they're fun to write! Also, for continuity's sake, this takes place after Callum's already sketched her, which has yet to be written nor posted. _**

* * *

_**Chapter Summary: **__College AU - Rayla and Callum exchange a few of their favourite things in a fun little game, to learn more about each other. But who would've thought the artist of the duo hadn't heard of Owl City? Rayla's up to the task of correcting this mistake._

_**Word Count: 2,493**_

* * *

**Favourites**

"Alright, how 'bout favourite colour?"

Callum paused his sketching as he took a moment to glance over at Rayla. She was laying down on her back, head up in the clouds. The two were sharing a blanket and sitting outside on the quad, during a pretty vacant time of the day. Rayla has her arms rested underneath her head and her legs bent and crossed over each other. Callum was sat just a few inches away, cross legged with a sketchbook and pencil in hand. He took a moment to stare something Rayla, observing her outfit of the day. A simple pair of black ripped jeans with a bold black pair of timberlands to bottom it out. Her shirt, a gray v-neck with a graphic that said, _Play Hard Eat Harder_, was slightly obscured by the large burgundy coloured varsity jacket she had donned on.

Callum smirked, and taking a shot in the dark, answered, "Burgundy?"

Rayla snorted as she turned her head to face him. "Why? Because it's our school's colours?" she mused.

"I mean something has to sell it for you if you keep wearing that around," the artist pointed out, lightly tapping her arm with his pencil.

The Scottish girl laughed as she shook her head, clearly amused with his reasoning. "Nice try, but no. I actually thought it was kinda obvious?" She gestured to her white hair, presumably focusing on the purple streaks highlighted within them.

Callum smirked. "Purple?"

"Violet, but yeah," she corrected.

He snorted. "That's not violet. That's like, basic purple." Rayla shot him an unimpressed look. "What? I'm an art student! I know violet and that's like, close to violet, but not."

Rayla rolled her eyes. "Way to shoot down all my money spent on this then," she muttered as she flicked a strand of her purple streaks. "If ya know so much about colours and shading, how do ya not know it only looks brighter because of the sun?" she gestured to said sun with a dramatic wave of her hand.

Callum squinted at her for a moment, then nonchalantly resumed his sketching. "Your hair blends well with it. It's a good contrast, looks good on you, but it stays bright in any shade and matches the white so no, it's not the sun."

"Wow," Rayla smirked. She turned over and rested her head in the palms of her hands, propping her elbows up on the blanket. "Did ya just compliment me?" she gleamed with a wide grin.

Callum's brows rose as his cheeks faintly flushed. "S-Seriously? _That's_ the takeaway from all of this?"

Rayla laughed as Callum attempted to return to his sketching. "Sorry, it's not often an artist compliments your style." Said artist merely rolled his eyes at her remark "Anyways… your favourite colour's…" she squinted at him, and Callum couldn't decide if it was to mock him or if it was actually for observation. "Hah, I bet yours is red."

His brows rose in surprise as he looked at her. "Wow, that's, right? How'd you know?"

"It's twenty-five degrees out and ya're wearing a red scarf?" she casually pointed out, gesturing to his body.

Callum glanced down and laughed. He supposed it was kinda obvious. No sane person would just don a red scarf in scalding hot weather unless they had some attachment to it. And, the red scarf, while it did mean something, also complimented his blue cardigan and beige khakis. Then again, he was essentially wearing a Fall outfit in the prospering beginning of spring. "Fair point," he acknowledged. He glanced down at his sketch and frowned. He was trying to sketch her, secretively, but she kept tossing and turning so much his reference was getting jagged.

"Oi, when are ya gonna tell me what ya're sketching?" Rayla whined as she turned on her back, looking up at the clouds.

Internally, Callum groaned. "It's nothing, just a dumb idea," he dismissed. In actuality, the conversation seemed easier to avoid with him not bringing up the topic at all. It definitely wasn't because he was embarrassed to ask her once again.

She scoffed. "Ya said that about your painting with the old oak tree! Soren said ya brushed it off non-stop. But it's one of the top showcases displayed in the Gallery in the art department to this day."

A small smile grew on Callum's lips. "You… you check the gallery there _too_?" He was surprised. He knew she was a fan of his work, but he didn't think she admired him that much.

She sat up from her spot and punched his shoulder. "Knock it off!" she barked. "I already told ya… I like lookin' at your art sometimes." Rayla turned her head and glanced down at the ground. "It's… nice to look at. It's why I wanna see your studio more often, to see what else ya've got in the works."

Callum smiled at her as he nodded. "Of course, you will." He closed his book and shrugged. "But, not until I've got more to show you," he added.

Rayla seemed satisfied with his answer and nodded back, smiling at him. Just as he was about to return to his sketching, she nudged him with her elbow. "Hey, it's your turn."

He stopped and paused. Right, they were trying to learn more about each other. Thinking to make some fun out of it, the two turned it into a guessing game, trying to guess the other's favourites. So far he's learned her favourite season is Fall, like him, and that pizza is her favourite guilty pleasure food—his was tacos from Taco Bell. She loved _Star Wars_, but loved _Lord of the Rings_ more in terms of trilogies, but _Princess Bride_ always had a special place in her heart for a go-to film. In truth, a lot of their questions were silly and basic, like favourite day of the week or time of day; all asked mainly to spark more conversation. Apparently they both agreed Thursday was a good day and that anything past midnight was fun. Of course Callum was a night owl for obvious reasons, but Rayla had her fair share of staying up just for the fun of it. It was a lot more fun that they both expected.

Callum pondered the idea and settled on something related to arts.

"Favourite artist?" he asked. He smugly smirked to himself. Call him a cheat, but there was no real win for her here. It wasn't like his was impossible to guess, but more so just something no one would think of the first time around.

"Hmmm," she contemplatively stared at him as she placed a hand on her chin. A good half-minute seemed to pass, leaving Callum to chuckle at her deep concentration. "_The Beatles_?" she answered.

His eyes shot wide open. There was no way. "How… did you peek at my playlist when I let you in my studio?"

Rayla feigned a gasp. "How dare ya!" she dramatically replied, "I can make an educated guess, ya know?" When he shot her an unimpressed stare she frowned. "Ya did a piece a few months ago about peace within a home, the one inside an apartment building? In the background, ya had a record album hung up on the wall."

"So what, you just guessed from that?"

"Callum, ya also had one up in your studio," she deadpanned. "Tell me there's no connection for somthin' so obscure?"

He facepalmed as he sighed. "Right… nice guess…" he muttered. Boy, was he a smart one. "Well, it's my turn, anyways. I think…" he looked at her with contemplation. Her whole personality screamed an indie pop vibe, mixed in with pop rock music, but her artist side also hinted out some outgoing explorations. It was a shot in the dark but—"Taylor Swift?" Yeah, he had no idea, so he guessed.

Rayla stared at him incredulously. "What? I mean, I love her, but not _that_ much! Do I give off a Swiftie vibe?" she asked with genuine concern. Holding a hand over her chest, she muttered, "Goodness, I had no idea…"

Callum chuckled. "To be honest, I was just guessing. I got nothing." He shrugged.

"_Laaaame_," she teased. "My favourite artist is Owl City."

He blinked at her. "Who?"

Her eyes widened. "Ya've never heard of Owl City?" she said in a low whisper as she crouched down.

He dropped his shoulders as he mimicked her actions, mocking her with a quiet voice. "No?"

"Seriously!" she gasped.

He flinched at her reaction, now fearing the follow-up of what would come if he said yes. "M-Maybe I have? I… don't really know artists that well, just songs." That was true. He'd heard dozens of catchy songs on the radio but never paid attention to the artist behind them. "Just last week I found out Ed Sheeran wrote _Photograph_."

Rayla's eyes widened more. Callum couldn't help but feel that he broke her. "Ray?" You uh… you okay?"

"_Fireflies_," she blurted out.

"Ex-Excuse me?"

"_Fireflies_, at least tell me ya've heard that?" she pleaded, clearly in shock.

Callum stopped and focused, desperately trying to recall a time he heard a song with fireflies in its chorus. Nothing, nothing at all came to mind. "Nope?" he hesitantly replied.

Rayla's widened eyes grew wider, it seemed impossible but now they were as big as saucers. She looked like she just received terrible news or someone just kicked her puppy. "Ya've got to be jokin'," she muttered.

Callum shook his head. "I'm serious."

"Where the hell were ya during 2009?"

"Alive? Just… not listening to… what was it, _Owl City_?" the name flew of his tongue so strangely. That did not sound familiar at all.

"Well that needs to change." She immediately dig into her pocket and pulled out her phone. He saw her increase the volume to full blast as she swiped through her apps, tapping on her Spotify. It seemed instantaneous with how quickly she had it ready, but Callum assumed it must've been her last song listened to. They must've been a good artist then. She hit play and held her phone out to him. With open ears, Callum listened as the first verse began,

_You would not believe your eyes_

_If ten million fireflies_

_Lit up the world as I fell asleep_—

"What? Is he talking about stars?" Callum asked.

"_Shush_," Rayla hissed.

—_And leave teardrops everywhere_

_You'd think me rude but I would just stand and stare_

The chorus kicked in,

_I'd like to make myself believe_

_That planet Earth turns slowly_—

"But it does—"

"_Callum_."

—_It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep_

_'Cause everything is never as it seems_

"Is he talking about insomnia?"

"Oi, just listen."

_'Cause I'd get a thousand hugs_

_From ten thousand lightning bugs_

_As they tried to teach me how to dance_

Callum opened his mouth, ready to criticize once more, but paused as he noticed Rayla's face. She was mouthing the words with a small smile, eyes focused on the album pictured accompanied with the lyrics. The electronic pop song seemed to entrance her, causing a light gentle sway with her body as she mouthed the second half of the second verse.

_A foxtrot above my head_

_A sock hop beneath my bed_

_The disco ball is just hanging by a thread_

These items, these words, sounded so bizarre and strange to Callum, but the beat and tempo remained consistently catchy. But most notably, they seemed to strike a cord with Rayla, as she smiled a seemingly familiar smile. There looked as if there was history within the upturned corners of her lips, like they had been the product of someone who had listened to an electropop song on repeat for several hours. It was a picture perfect smile of nostalgia.

The chorus returned, and Rayla begun singing along in a hushed tone,

"_I'd like to make myself believe_

_That planet Earth turns slowly_

_It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep_

_'Cause everything is never as it seems."_

She froze up as she met Callum's eyes. Closing her mouth from embarrassment, she shyly cowered her gaze away from his, emitting a small laugh as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Callum couldn't believe the star player of the football team was nervous to sing around one guy. It was adorable.

He smirked as he shifted his weight onto his arm. "This song means a lot to you?" he asked.

She simply shrugged. "I mean, it's a catchy, if that's what ya mean," she supplied.

"You know it's not," he shot back.

Rayla looked at him and shrugged once more. "It's… I just listened to it a lot growing up. And… it sounds nice. When ya think about the meaning behind it," she explained, shaking her phone at him.

—_million fireflies_

_I'm weird 'cause I hate goodbyes_

_I got misty eyes as they said farewell (Said farewell)_—

She smiled at him as she continued, "Y'know, about growing up and all that?"

"_What_?" the artist exclaimed. "How'd you get that from that?"

Rayla snorted. "Well on the surface, duh, it's about insomnia and whatever," she easily explained. "But, "she added, "if ya really give it a listen ya get the whole nostalgia of time. And like how fast it really moves ya know?" She smiled at his contemplation. "I mean, it sounds like a kid who just wishes time slowed down," she said as she gestured to her phone with her free hand.

—_like to make myself believe_

_That planet Earth turns slowly_

_It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep_

_Because my dreams are bursting at the seams…_

The song stopped as Rayla pulled her phone away from Callum. It started to loop once again, picking up from its rising electronic piano in the background. The first verse began as Rayla said, "Growing up, it just sounds… nice to listen to." She smiled at him head on, obviously proud with herself. She leaned back on her arms, knees bent, as she flipped her hair behind her back. She swayed once again to the beat humming along with the tune.

Callum looked at her in thought, comparing the lyrics he'd just heard with her own reasoning. As an artist, it was easy to misinterpret and create new meanings for any and all pieces. Some things just had more meaning than expected, others had less. But the look of pride and pure enjoyment on Rayla's face took the cake for him. She really was an artist in her own way. He needed to stop being surprised by that by now, because it was an amazing thing to see each and every time—the way she expressed her passion.

Needless to say, Callum found himself a new pose he wanted to sketch for her.

And a new favourite song too.

* * *

_**A/N: **_**_Well, fun eh? I've never done song fics before, and to be honest I'm not even sure I did one? I just wanted to use this song because A, Owl City is great, B, Fireflies is great, C, a few other people used the song during the Rayllum week and I felt like I missed out, D, the lyrics are so very obscure and weird I wanted to bring that up. Because, well, why not?_**

**_Rayla totally strikes me as an Owl City fan, but only for a selective few. Anyways, that's that for today. Hopefully tomorrow will be up a lot earlier this time! Good news, Mac is back and ready to attack! So writing should be faster... I hope._**

**_Tomorrow's Rain!_**

**_Until next time,_**

**_\- Bleh_**


	19. Heavy Thoughts (Month Day 8)

_**A/N: **_**_This is... different. I wanted to take another crack at this type of writing so, bear with me. Day 8: Rain. _**

* * *

_**Summary: **__Sometimes rain isn't as fun as it's usually made out to be. Sometimes… it's just heavy._

_**Word Count: 2,007**_

* * *

**Heavy Thoughts**

It was raining hard. That was the most notable thing of the entire evening. During their walk, a sudden outburst from the clouds stirred above and started hailing down a wave of water. The sudden bombardment of rain forced the two to one conclusion: shelter. Immediately, they searched for any semblance of cover from skies and settled in a small cave nearby. That had been over an hour ago, and it was clear to them that there was no sign of the rain ever letting up.

The heavy pitter patter of the droplets was all that filled the air of silence aside from the freezing rain. Zym was just on the edge of the cave, still sheltered, but definitely eager to prance around in the rain. His tail wagged with motivation and his tongue hung with a lust. Rayla was sat up against the wall of the cave, both arms resting on her knees as she gazed out to the open clearing nearby. Zym could handle the rain, but it was a foolish idea to let him run about all by himself. And with how heavy the rain was, neither of them wanted to chance getting sick during this adventure.

Callum sought the opportunity to finish up on sketches—it was what he claimed at least. He was opposite of Rayla, cross legged and wearing a focused face as he dragged his pencil around. Rayla could tell from how his tongue stuck out he was shading, but also from his brief glances, he was actually sketching her. It was cute he tried to hide it though, so she didn't say anything.

Her gaze returned to the pouring rain beside her. It was raining heavily. The type of atmosphere and weather that was actually ideal for an assassin. Rayla's hand unconsciously found itself gripping onto one of her twin blades. It remained in its sheathed form, small and innocent. Rayla flicked her wrist and emotionlessly watched as the blade unfolded itself. The blade had seen a fair share of battles, but was far from worn out. But it was in desperate need of some buffing and sharpening. She chuckled to herself.

Runaan would scold her.

The sudden drop of her lips happened all too quickly. Her face frowned at the blade as her grip tightened. Her hand began to shake as the thoughts flooded her.

_The blade is an Assassin's weapon._

_Don't drop it._

_Hold onto it like it's an extension of your body._

Her firm grip held on as she clenched her teeth.

_Ha! Like a natural. _

_Nice grip. Good control._

Rayla's head fell as tears built up in her eyes. She held them back with conviction, steeling her nerves as she swallowed hard. Her hand couldn't stop shaking. She tried using her other hand to hold it firmly, but it only worsened. It was then she realized both of her hands were shaking, and she had dropped her sword.

_Careful. This can take your life as easily as it can take others._

_Never lose this._

_This is one of your greatest tools._

Her eyes firmly shut as she began shaking her head. She didn't want to remember any of that. The streams had already begun, but there was no avoiding them. There was no avoiding the obvious. There was no avoiding memories.

The sudden contact on Rayla's shoulders startled her to a squeal. She looked to her left and found Callum sat beside her, wrapping his arms around her in a warm embrace.

_You can't be caught off guard_.

The words rang out deep in her mind but her focus still remained on the moment with Callum. He was pulling her close, offering himself to her, anything she needed. Wordlessly, she accepted and rested her head on his shoulder. A quiet knock erupted a chuckle from Callum. She must've hit him with her horn. She opened her mouth to apologize but was cut off by his movement, he was readjusting himself as he retracted his left arm but pulled her closer with his right. He slowly and patiently rubbed his hand against her right arm.

"It's okay," he whispered into her hair, "it's okay. I'm here."

She nodded, closing her eyes and letting out a deep breath. She found her calm and inhaled and exhaled a few more times, soaking in Callum's presence. She opened her eyes and started rubbing away her tears, but stopped once she saw Callum's handkerchief. She let out a quiet thanks as she accepted the fabric and started wiping away her tears.

"I'm… sorry," she replied as she handed it back. "That was… that was random…" she admitted, feeling a rising heat within her cheeks. With an awkward chuckle she shyly rubbed her damp cheeks. "I—"

"Ray," Callum softly spoke, "it's fine," he assured her. He encouragingly squeezed her arm and smiled as pecked her forehead. "You don't need to explain."

Rayla shook her head. "It's…" He deserved to know. Her gaze returned to the rain outside, and she noticed Zym was now giving her a sad stare. Even he could tell something was up with. Rayla's attention darted back to Callum's previous spot, where she noticed his sketchbook and belongings laid all by their lonesome. He definitely dropped everything the second he heard her crying. Yeah, he needed to know. "He loved the rain," she managed to say.

"Who?" came the confused response.

Rayla's gaze flew over to the plummeting droplets of water outside. She could easily see herself traversing through the onslaught of water, like second nature she knew her spots and how to disappear. "Runaan," she answered quietly, "he… he always liked the rain."

Callum seemed to pause to absorb the information, but then settled with a small laugh. "Lots of people do. It's pretty sometimes. Sometimes it's not too bad."

"Yeah… but he didn't like it for the same reasons most do," she explained. "He said sound is an Assassin's greatest weapon. The way we use it and adapt with it is what makes us formidable."

"Didn't work too well on me though. When we first met that is." He was trying for humour, and his forced chuckle was showing that. Rayla managed a half-smirk but didn't laugh. Callum seemed to drop his forced facade and cleared his throat. "Anyways… he sounds like a great mentor."

"He was," Rayla nodded. "Everythin' I ever knew… from him." She sighed. "Rain was the hardest environment for me to get used to."

"Because of your fear?"

"I have a fear of the ocean, not water," Rayla corrected. She rolled her eyes in annoyance. "It's not like a glass of water will get me shakin' in my boots. And the rain here isn't exactly terrifying."

Callum chuckled. "Sorry. My bad," he apologized.

Rayla shook her head. "It's fine." She took another breath. "He just… he always liked training in the rain. It's hard to move through, but with all that noise…"

"It's easier to do your job," Callum finished.

"Aye," Rayla nodded. "I often just slipped or got mud all over my blades. I'd drop 'em a lot because of that. He'd scold me." Her attention instinctively returned to her blade from before and caused her to retrieve the weapon with haste. Her firm grasp around it made her whole body on edge. "'_Hold onto it like it's an extension of your body,'_ he'd say." Callum's other hand wrapped itself around hers, comfortingly massaging her knuckles. Her grip lessened, and her body felt more at ease. With an empty chuckle, she went on,"Gosh… ya know… the day this all went south for me… it was raining? Just before this all began…"

Callum remained silent, likely allowing her to air out all her feelings. "It just… it was perfect. Raining, and we had the advantage. Just… took one guard. Runaan was so confident I could do it too," she released a humourless laugh. "After all that training, it should've been easy. One takedown. One life." A deep sigh. "But none of that happened. Instead… this," she gestured, with her free hand, all around them, "happened."

Callum remembered her telling him about the guard she let live. He remembered the guilt that ate up inside of her when she recounted every detail. How much she regretted what that all unfolded. But, he also knew the relief she had. He knew that even with all those regrets, there was a part of Rayla that was glad that her blades weren't bloodied. He'd told her that time and time again. But this time, this was different. This was about something else.

"You don't know he's dead," he stated. When she said nothing, Callum continued, "He might've made his way back to Xadia sooner than us. He's not the one dragging around a useless human, so he's probably had better luck traversing through the lands." It was a weak defence, but he had to try.

"Yeah…" Rayla softly said, "but, he's also the type to put everythin' on the line. Him sending that message arrow that night, I just didn't… get the feeling that he…" She swallowed hard. "I don't like my instincts there."

Callym nodded as he rolled his tongue around in his cheek. "Yeah… I get it…" he let out a small chuckle. "I had the same feeling about my dad."

He could feel her freeze up at the sudden mention of him.

It was still a sore spot for her too, he supposed. "I mean… deep down I had my suspicions. But it… it was easier not to think about it, because… it made it feel less real." He shrugged. "Guess that's all mourning really is… just… trying not to think about it much at first." He pulled his scarf up to his mouth and inhaled the scent. Faintly, he remembered _her_. He quickly returned his hand to Rayla's and wrapped it around her clenched fist. "Eventually we can remember them without… feeling empty."

Rayla nodded. "Eventually," she repeated.

Callum smiled at her response and threw his attention over to the pouring rain outside. The faintest of smiles crossed his face as he thought about his step-father. "He liked the rain too," Callum added. "Gave him more of an excuse to keep me and Ez indoors. Closer to him and my mom." He smiled as he recalled all those rainy days back in Katolis. "But also just… liked looking at it too."

_Ahh, see? It's not too bad._

_The rain is actually quite peaceful._

_Under all that noise there's something quiet, how do you think the calm comes after?_

He laughed at that words that flew through his mind. "He just… always wanted to look at things optimistically. He always looked at the rain with a smile, he just always had something nice to say about it." A sniffle escaped him, it wasn't until then that Callum realized he was crying a bit. Rayla's embrace shifted from her being comforted to him being enwrapped in warmth. She was holding him closer now. "Like… under all that noise and wetness, there's actually something nice under there," his gaze flew down to Rayla. "I guess for your case, it's true."

Rayla's head turned up to him. "How so?"

"You guys seemed to enjoy running around in it," he pointed out. "I guess if there really was anything beautiful underneath, it'd be the Assassins running inside it."

Rayla managed to smile through her blush. "Cute," she commented as she lightly thumped his chest. "Here we are, crying our eyes out and ya still find a way to shoot a cheesy line."

Callum shrugged. "Sorry."

She shook her head. "Don't be… I'm… thanks," she whispered back.

"He sounds like a great guy."

"Thanks… so does your dad."

Her weapon fell to the ground as she intertwined her fingers with Callum's. A deep breath and the two managed to snuggle closer together. The echoing of the rain around them muted under their synchronized breathing. They closed their eyes and sighed together.

"I'm sorry…"

"Me too."

* * *

_**A/N: So... how was it? I tried to go for some angst I guess? I wanted to take a turn and see how well I could do. And well, I'm not sure how I did. Lemme know your thoughts. Hope you liked it though!**_

_**Tomorrow is illness. This one won't be as sad, so don't worry!**_

_**Until next time,**_

_**\- Bleh**_


	20. Seasick (Month Day 9)

_**A/N: **_**_Day 9: Illness! Nothing clever, just enjoy!_**

* * *

_**Chapter Summary: **__No matter what, Rayla will always hate riding boats. And so would her stomach. Nothing could change that for her. But, thankfully, no matter what, Callum's always willing to cheer her up whenever possible. _

_**Word Count: 2,048**_

* * *

**Seasick**

Callum was no stranger to sickness. Whether it be the common cold or a sudden fever, he and Ezran had dealt with their fair share of sicknesses over the years. The only thing that would set them apart from most folk, is the fact that they had nurses to take care of them. The mere second one of them caught something, there'd be a nurse right away—medicine prepped and a hot meal on the go. Callum learned a lot from them. He learned the importance of keeping your body healthy and clean, whilst also avoiding things that could obviously harm it. And so for the better part of three years, Callum had avoided feeling ill in any way.

He had taken that time to watch over Ezran more extensively. Things like making sure he was eating—which later on became an issue of too much over too little—and staying hygienic. He always made sure he did his scheduled baths and ate healthily as possible. For the most part, he did good. But there were of course scenarios his young brother would catch a cold, and Callum tasked himself with the mission of learning how to cure it. Everything he'd seen from the nurses taught him all he needed to know. But that didn't mean he knew everything.

For example, Callum had no idea how to help with seasickness.

"Hey, Rayla?" Callum called out. He glanced over at the Elf and seethed at the sight of her bent over on the railing of the ship. "H-How… how you doing?" he lamely asked.

Rayla turned her face away from the swaying waves crashing against their boat and managed a very, very weak smile at Callum. "I'm… I'm fine…" she groaned, gesturing a thumbs up. She must've noticed Callum's obvious discomfort and worry, and tried to force a stronger smile. "S-See? I—" a wave disgust filled the girl's face as she forced her mouth shut and puffed her cheeks. She turned back toward the ocean and proceeded to release the loudest gag Callum had heard in his entire life.

That wasn't leaving his mind anytime soon.

He winced as he listened to her repeatedly air out her lungs, practically forcing this morning's moonberry juice into the vast waters. That was the third time she vomited. Also the third time Zym tried to cover his ears. It was not a pleasant ride for anyone aboard. Speaking of, Callum's worry was temporarily distracted by the sudden contact on his shoulders. He turned around in a startle and released a small squeal, much to the amusement of the Elf before him.

"Whoa, relax lad," the sailor calmly advised, "No harm here," he chuckled.

Callum stepped back as he pulled his hood over his head even more. Clearing his throat, he responded, "Oi, it's aight laddie." He visibly cringed at his "accent" as he smiled at the Ocean Elf.

The sailor rubbed the back of his head as he said, "I just uh, came to warn ya 'bout your friend over there."

"Warn?" Callum echoed.

"Aye," the Ocean Elf nodded. "The other passengers can't stomach the sigh of her… well lack of, stomach." He erupted a boisterous laugh. When he noticed the boy's unamused face, he awkwardly coughed. "A-Anyways, uh, I've just been getting complaints…" his face fell into a nervous smile as he glanced over to the other passengers scattered around the deck.

Callum awkwardly laughed as he met the unsightly stares of the other elves. "Sorry," he apologized. "She just… gets motion sick," he informed the sailor.

The Ocean Elf nodded. "It happens, don't ya worry about it," he assured. "But uh…" a gag echoed out from Rayla's direction causing the two to frown at each other. "Can ya—"

"I'll see what I can do, don'tcha worry 'bout it mate," Callum replied as he waved the elf off. "I'll be right on it!" he shouted as he walked over to Rayla.

Zym was nuzzled up against Rayla's shin, attempting to catch some sleep. Rayla was rested over the railing, both arms overboard with her head hanging with them. Hesitantly, Callum placed his hand on her back, patting it in a slow, awkward manner. "_Heeey_," he softly greeted, "how are you doing?"

Rayla glanced over at him with a dead frown.

Then immediately returned to barfing out another ounce of what Callum recognized as a maroon coloured liquid. "Guess moonberry juice and ocean don't mix well, eh?"

Another stare.

Another gag.

Callum seethed as he stepped closer to Rayla. "H-Hey, c'mon you…" he stopped himself. "You'll be alright. Just… deep breaths, right? Deep breaths!" he repeated as he motioned his hands up and down. "In and out," he said whilst inhaling and exhaling.

Rayla nodded at him attempting to take as many deep breaths as she could.

"Pace yourself Ray," he advised. He noticed a spot of puke dripping down her chin and opted to use his handkerchief to wipe it off. As he stroked her face with the cloth, he turned her head to face his eyes directly. "Keep breathing. In and out. Five seconds each."

Rayla nodded once more.

She smelled terrible. But Callum was willing to let the slide the moment he saw he smile slowly forming. Her eyes were shuttered and her face was deep in concentration. Her breathing was more controlled now, and her presence felt more relaxed. He could feel her easing her cheek into his hands. He allowed her, and watched as she took his hands and held them on her face. She opened her eyes and managed a small smile at him.

"Can… can ya just stay close?" she gently asked. "I… I feel a lot better with ya here."

He nodded. "Sure. Anything you need," he insisted.

"Distract me," she begged. "Anythin' to take my mind off all…" she paused, holding in a deep breath. "This," she finished.

"Sure, sure," Callum agreed. He quickly tucked away his handkerchief and held Rayla's face. He honestly had no idea if this was what she meant by staying close, but she seemed to like it before so it was safer staying this way. He held her cheeks with soft embrace and thought about her request. A distraction. "Umm… when it gets dark out, you wanna go stargazing again?" he offered. "You can point out all the other fake constellations you guys have."

Rayla scoffed. "Like yours are any better."

Callum smirked as he maintained his gaze on her eyes. "You guys just wanted an excuse to plaster Draconic words into the sky."

"Ya guys have a crude drawing of a man with a bow," she shot back. "Zym could draw better than that."

At the mention of his name, the young dragon perked both his ears and head on alert, looking up at the two in curiosity. "Careful," Callum advised, "wouldn't want to draw too much attention to the little guy here." Zym rested his chin back into the depths of his arms. "We're lucky no one seems to mind him much. Or realize who he is."

Rayla explained, "It's because he's a Storm Dragon. His kind is so rare, that most people might see him at first glance and think he's an Ocean Dragon or somethin'." She shrugged as she looked down at Zym. "Plus, no one's crazy enough to think two kids are just suddenly carrying around the dragon prince out of—" a gag escaped her out of nowhere.

Callum lifted her head and sheepishly smiled. "Try not to look down. It… doesn't help," he warned. "But uh, that's cool… what you said about Zym," he added with a small shrug, "Good to know our cover won't exactly be blown anytime soon."

"Please." She scoffed. "If anyone's gonna blow our cover it's ya."

Callum's brows furrowed. "Me? How?"

"With that terrible accent ya've got going on it's amazing any of the crew think ya're an Elf!" She laughed, shaking her head. "Like jeez, is that what I sound like to ya?"

Callum frowned at her. He had been trying his best. With the cloak Rayla had donned the time she tried to impersonate a human, it was his turn to give it a go. They needed to cross the lake in order to get the town. It had been a close call getting to the docks on time, but Callum had essentially held onto Rayla for doing all the talking. That hope died the second they set out from shore, as she merely collapsed against the railing. Since then, the other passengers had distanced themselves from the two and kept disgusted stares, clearing put off by her sickness.

He had been the reliant one on interactions since then. And judging by Rayla's snark, he clearly didn't do as well as he hoped. It was more so he was doing as bad as he suspected.

"At least I'm not going around saying 'Howdy humans! Human fellas,'" he mocked in a country accent.

Rayla rolled her eyes. "Please, my disguise was perfect."

"You caused a mob to form in town and literally forced us to run for the hills."

A soft thump was directed at Callum's chest whilst a venomless scowl flew to his face. "Hey, that wasn't on my disguise. I was preoccupied with another mission, remember?" She crossed her arms. "I haven't had anyone catch onto me yet. But ya however," she pointed up at his hood, "your lack of horns might do ya in."

Callum smacked her finger. "And pointing at it will really help," he hissed. "Besides, I already have the perfect disguise!" he confidently claimed. When he was met with a blank stare he sighed. "C'mon, I'm wearing a hood, got no horns? And a weird accent? Obvious elves will assume I have some estranged and tragic backstory about my horns and my past, and no one's willing to hound me for details because they fear they'll only bring back the trauma I've tried so hard to suppress," he dramatically finished.

Rayla stared at him with an amused face. She was desperately trying to fight back a smile, Callum could tell, but it was in vain. She opted for a quiet chuckle as she shook her head. "Ya're ridiculous sometimes."

"True," Callum agreed. "But at least it makes you smile," he proudly declared.

Rayla chuckled. "I'm sick, I'm practically one minute away from vomiting _tomorrow's_ lunch. Anythin' ya say can make me laugh."

He still smiled, no point in hiding how proud he was of himself and of her. She really was trying to stay focused on their conversation and it showed. He managed to keep her mind distracted and calm, and the best way that worked was just by them being them. As always, they could easily lose themselves within each other's words, within their presence. They just had that effect on each other. He couldn't help but smile at that.

With a bold confidence brewing inside, Callum leaned close and quickly kissed Rayla's lips. Her face dissolved into shock as she asked, "Why would ya do that to yourself?"

Callum maintained his smile. "Because…" he shrugged. "You deserve it."

A blush grew on her cheeks, definitely unrelated form her sickness as she formed an apologetic smile. "My breath stinks though."

Callum nodded as the scent suddenly overwhelmed his body. He leaned over the railing and started to take his turn with upchucking the sunberry bread he had this morning. The taste still lingered on his lips and regret built within the pits of his stomach, alongside his rising disgust. It might've been a smarter idea to go for the cheek, but he was too lost in the moment. He felt Rayla's hand comfortingly sort itself on his back, patting it softly. But the motions suddenly stopped as a firm grasp replaced them. Retching ringed out from Callum's left and as he glanced over, he was met with Rayla's face. It looked as if the two both had failed their attempts at comforting each other.

"Dammit," the familiar sailor's voice returned. "I asked ya to take care of her, not join her! Ya lot are going below deck, ya're disgusting to look at!" he shouted as he stomped near.

Callum couldn't care. It was worth it.

* * *

_**A/N: **_**_Again, got nothing else to add. Sorry it was so late, just got held up is all. Also sorry if this wasn't as good as the rest. Remember, 31 days, no guarantee they'll all be outta the park. _**

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**_Review responses:_**

_**Griff-FanFic1933: Healthy angst, I like it! I'll be sure to try more of that in the future! Glad you loved it!  
**_

_**Guest: Hmm, I'll try to emulate that struggle more. I thought I did good with Rayla's subtly, but then again I guess I was going more for just them being emotionally unstable. In my mind they are kids, so it made sense that little things really do get them sometimes. Thanks for the advice though, I'll keep it in mind!**_

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**_Tomorrow's Scarf! That's all i got.  
_**

**_Until next time,_**

**_\- Bleh_**


	21. Warmth (Month Day 10)

_**A/N: So, this one kinda got away from me. Well... just read and see what i mean. Day 10: Scarf.**_

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_**Chapter Summary: **__Rayla knows it's important. Callum might try to dismiss it, but he wasn't fooling her. She knows it means something to him and that he would risk life and limb to keep it around his neck. Same goes for her._

_**Word Count: 2,597**_

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**Warmth**

Rayla's mission was the most important priority. Everything else around her faded into nothingness as her goal repeated in her mind. Nothing else at that moment could distract her. She was running. As fast as she could, she bounced from each rooftop across town, scouring the pathways. Her perceptive eyes scanned the crowds, eyes focused on the objective, the target she needed to find. She couldn't lose it. Not now.

Her attention was momentarily caught by a brief flash of something that turned into an alleyway. It _looked_ like it. That was all she needed to go rushing in. She leapt across the street and over to the next rooftop. Quietly, she maneuvered her way above the alley, following her newfound target. It looked like this Earthblood Elf lady was holding it. Rayla's eyes squinted at the item, it was clear to her that now was her chance.

She rushed down the roof and launched herself into the alley. Landing perfectly on her feet, she stared down the Earthblood Elf and drew her twin blades, crossing them at the lady. "That doesn't belong to ya, hand it over!" she shouted.

The lady gasped in fear as she held her hands close to her chest. "Wh-What are ya talkin' 'bout!" she pleaded, "I-I didn't take anythin'!"

Rayla's eyes narrowed unrelentingly at the Earthblood Elf. "Then what's that in your hands then?" she challenged, pointing her right blade at the elf.

She cowered back in fear whilst confusion struck her face. "Wh-What? Ya mean my scarf?"

"It's not yours," Rayla spat.

The fear within the lady's eyes widened a tenfold. "I-I'm sorry? I… I don't know what ya're talkin' 'bout, my mum _just_ gave this to me," she pleaded as she unfolded the cloth and held it out to her. "H-Here, t-take it! Please don't hurt me!"

Rayla's eyes widened in shock as she saw the scarf unfold in the moonlight, clearly revealing its darker shade of red. It looked nothing like it. Her face dropped as she realized what she was doing. "Oh… I'm…" she retracted her blades and held her hands up. "I'm _so, so_ sorry Miss!" she apologized. She took a step forward and paused as she watched the Earthblood Elf cower back. "I'm… this is a misunderstanding, I… and I completely just…" she sighed. "I'm so sorry. I… I just thought ya stole it," she muttered, obviously embarrassed as the words left her mouth.

The lady seemed to relax a bit more, a small sense of relief exhaled from her lips. "Ya're… looking for your friend's scarf?" she lightly inquired.

Rayla nodded as she let out a sheepish laugh. "Yeah… it's uh a red… I'm sorry… I _really_ overreacted here. I—"

"This scarf means a lot to him, I assume?" the lady guessed, daring on a smirk. "And he must mean a lot to ya, aye?"

Rayla's face flushed as she shrunk her head down into her shoulders, wincing at the claim. "Aye… he…" she sighed. "Listen, I'm so sorry 'bout this. I-I can… pay ya, to like, I don't know, make up—"

"It's fine my dear," the lady dismissed. Rayla opened her mouth, ready to object, "Ya've clearly got important things to do. Just next time, try not to jump people in an alleyway?" Her tease earned another wince from Rayla, but she smiled nonetheless.

"Right, sorry. Again," she shyly added, backing away from the lady.

"Go and find your _friend's_ scarf," she instructed, throwing a wink. "If I see any red scarves I'll be sure to let ya know the next time ya hop down."

Rayla nodded. "Thanks."

With that, she hopped onto the roof and continued her parkour pathing across the town. Never had she been in more of a hurry to get out of a situation. Coupled up with the clear embarrassment and shame she felt, she was also in a hurry. This was an important mission after all. The second the two came into the inn of this town, Callum noticed his scarf was missing. He had just realized as soon as he began sorting his belongings.

"It's gone."

Rayla at the time, was just settling in bed. Her head rose at Callum, who was staring with wide eyes at his bags. "What is?" she asked.

"My scarf…" he quietly whispered.

She instantly shot out of bed and rushed over to the boy. "What? How? Someone took it?"

Callum shrugged. "I just… the town was so crowded… it must've slipped off," he muttered. He had his cloak on too, there was a lot of clothing weighing down on him. In a crowded space, it was easy for it to slip his mind for a split second. And split second's all a thief needs.

Rayla's brows furrowed in anger. "Someone stole it. C'mon, we'll report this to the townsguard," she ordered, taking Callum's arm as they headed to the door. Zym encouragingly barked and followed suit.

But Callum removed his arm with vigour as he stared at Rayla with shock. "And draw attention to the Dragon Prince here?" he shouted in a low voice. "Ray, it's fine—" she noticed how too easily the words flew off his lips. "—we can't risk attention like that right now. It's… besides, I might've just dropped it. I can look for it on our way out tomorrow." As if that wasn't any harder.

Rayla didn't like how quick he was to give up. She also didn't like how Callum thought so little of his clearly meaningful article of clothing he wore. She knew what it meant to him. But, ever the pragmatist, he knew it wasn't worth it to go out of their way to look for something as small as a scarf. But the weight behind it was a big as their current mission to the Dragon Queen. Rayla didn't want to sit by and watch him sulk over something they could fix. Something _she_ could easily take care of. She owed him way too much to let it slide. So after a feigned sleep—with Callum as little spoon obviously—Rayla allowed Callum and Zym to wink out before her, giving her the opportunity to slip out of their room and into the streets.

And thus she began her search.

She started off with the entrance to the town from which they came from, and found herself chasing tails. The Earthblood and Ocean Elves weren't exactly known for integrating red popping colours to their wardrobes. Rayla knew someone had stolen it. And like most thieves, they were probably lurking about in the crowds still, working their paycheck.

Not if she had anything to say about it.

Granted, she almost committed a mugging herself, but she stopped it before it could escalate. So she was justified.

Perching herself on a wooden archway above a bridge, she scanned her scenery once more. Dozens and dozens of blue and green coloured clothes blended together to mix into this Earth like atmosphere. It was a well complimented colour scheme that easily meant anything red would stand out. Which also meant Rayla's next target caught her eye with ease. Just for a moment, she swore she saw a tint of red bussel through the crowd. She squinted at the area as she hopped down to a lower roof, getting a closer look onto the scene.

There it was again, slightly lower around everyone's waistline, a long reddish cloth brushed by everyone. By the complaints and exclaims of the people within, whoever this was, was clearly in a hurry to get out of there. That meant one of two things. They had made a decent load for the night and were rushing out to call it a day, or, they knew they were being watched. Not wanting to chance the latter, Raya hurried her pace along the roofs, keeping focus on her peripheral as she noticed the small red hurry down the street. Suddenly, the red vanished, leaving Rayla to halt in her tracks. She stopped and scanned, immediately noticing the flash of red duck behind another nearby alleyway.

History sure repeated itself for sure, but Rayla didn't care about repeating mistakes. In one bound, she hopped across the street and skidded down the roof and into the alley. Landing on her feet, she drew her blades and turned around, facing the thief before her. "Drop the scarf ya _scum_," she uttered with venom.

All bite behind her words was instantly loss as she realized who her opponent was.

A young Earthblood Elf, around Ezran's height, lying on the ground, cowering in fear. His clothes were a dirty pair of beige pants, with rips scattered all around the shins, and two discolored and clearly different boots, one brown, the other black. His long sleeved shirt looked like it was once lime green, but now shaded from its worn out time on the streets, bearing its own rips and tears along the sleeves and chest. Overtop that, his brown leather vest looked like it was on its last threads, barely holding itself together over the boy. But that wasn't as bad as the health of his hygiene—his brown hair muddied up along with his cheeks, and his horns were chipped, like the war had taken place all over his body, and he had nothing to defend himself. His face was clearly distraught, scared of everything and anything that surrounded him.

And in his hands, _was definitely_ Callum's scarf.

Rayla's heart dropped as she realized what the situation in front of her meant. Could she—was she, really about to do this? In fairness, what the kid was doing was wrong and ethically, the only thing that redeemed it was that he was doing it to survive. But, that scarf had history. It was Callum's history.

Her first move, which she should've done sooner, was retracting and sheathing her blades once again. "Hey, hey, hey!" she hastily greeted, raising her hands in innocence. "I-I won't hurt ya!" she assured. "I just… I'm sorry I gave ya fright there," she apologized, stepping forward. He seemed to flinch at her desperate attempts at inching closer, but not enough to go running. He must've been too scared to move. "I… I get it," she nodded, "region get's pretty cold down by the lake side, aye?"

He reluctantly nodded.

"I'm Rayla," she introduced, waving at the boy as she knelt down. "And ya are?"

He bit his lip, fighting the desire to answer her. "L… Lian," he answered.

"Well… Lian," she lightly smile, "I… _really_ need that scarf back." Her face shifted into a desperate plea. "It… means a lot to someone I care about, and… I can't bear to watch 'em so hurt." There was a hesitance laced within his face, a reluctance as she neared him. "It… it's the last thing he has of someone he really loved. And… I… this is the _least_ I can do to help… him…"

The boy's eyes glued onto hers with a sense of curiosity. "Safe?"

She blinked at him. "Pardon?"

"Keep him… safe?" he quietly asked.

Rayla nodded. "Yes. This… this helps him feel safe."

Lian stared down at the scarf in his hands, holding it with a vice grip like his life depended on it. And it clearly did. Rayla couldn't believe what she was doing. She was asking a homeless child to sacrifice the one thing he managed to claim for his own survival. She was asking him to let go of a value he never once had. Practically begging him to keep his nothingness as nothing. She closed her eyes and sighed in her mind. They didn't set out to make a difference by changing nothing.

She rose to her feet and smiled at the boy. "Nevermind," she spoke up. "Keep it," she said, noticing his surprise, "ya need it more." She had no right to even let those words fly out of her mouth, but she also had no right to take it from him. As she turned her body away, she added, "I'm sorry."

To the child.

To Callum.

To his mom.

She just couldn't do it.

A sudden grip around her ankles startled her out of her self-pity. She glanced down and found the boy tugging at her right boot. In his other hand, he held out the scarf to her. Her eyes grew as she realized what he was doing. "Are ya—"

"_Calidum_," he told her, looking up at her with a smile. Bless her heart, the most beautiful smile she had ever seen from a child. "Keep him… _Calidum_." The words slowly processed her in mind, and her heart flew.

Like time had slowed down to a crawl, she finally grabbed the scarf, with a soft tug and pulled it close to her body. One sniff and she felt Callum's presence. It was definitely his. She looked down, ready to thank the boy, but found nothing at her feet. She looked around and found nothing.

One more look at the scarf told her all she needed. Not to let this moment go to waste.

::::

The morning after, the two found themselves wandering the streets of the town. Zym was cuddled close in Callum's arm, with his other taking the opportunity to hold Rayla's hand. They embraced their intertwined fingers, smiling at each other. "Thanks again," he brought up for the ninth time that morning.

After tuckering out upon her return, Rayla opted to give Callum's scarf back in the morning. He desperately fought off his tears and thanked her repeatedly, clearly grateful for everything she had done. She made no mention of the child and their encounter, and smiled when Callum tried to downplay his emotions behind the scarf. He tried to dismiss it the night before, but Rayla saw right through it.

"Your mum wanted ya to have it," she easily replied, "It's the least I could do."

Callum chuckled to himself as they walked. But a sudden familiar face caught Rayla's eye, causing them to stop in their tracks. The boy was sat up against a nearby trash bin, staring up at the clouds with a curious wonder in his eyes. Before Callum could say anything, Rayla hurried over to young boy. His attention shot down in surprise at her return and smiled at her, darting his attention between her and Callum.

"_Calidum_?" he asked her with a smile.

She nodded, a faint blush flushing her cheeks. The whole idea seemed so obscurely silly to her. "Very," she tugged on Callum's hand. "Thank ya," she added. She dug into Callum's bag pulled out two bottles of Moonberry juice. Callum seemed to catch on her motives and pulled out a loaf of Sunberry bread, and handed to the boy. Rayla placed the bottles at the boy's feet. "_Calidum_?" she offered.

Lian eagerly accepted the bread, taking a large bite out of it with a gleeful smile. "_Calidum_," he gleamed, patting his stomach. "Thanks," he cheerfully replied.

Rayla shook her head as she nuzzled the boy's head of hair. "Nah, thank ya," she smiled back. The two parted ways from the child, continuing their stroll down town.

"What was that about?"

"Nothin'."

His face dropped. "Well, what's with you guys just butchering my name now?" he accused.

Rayla rolled her eyes as she laughed. The words seemed to cross her lips so simply. "_Calidum_. Draconic for warm."

"Oh… well in that case, let's spread the _Callum_ when all this is over!" he cheered. "Whattya say?"

Rayla laughed. "I'd like that."

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_**A/N: Yeah, I know I dropped the ball with Callum's reaction or the lack thereof, but I kinda wanted to make the moment about something else? Sorry if I didn't do the teary reunion of Callum and his scarf, I wanted to, but I thought this had gone on long enough. And to be honest, I felt like the Lian's story really had more of an impact to Rayla here. Mainly because their journey's not just helping the world, but helping everyone along the way. **_

_**Boring stuff aside, hope you enjoyed! Tomorrow is Dreams. This one is a toughy, so sorry if it doesn't turn out well!**_

_**Until next time,**_

_**\- Bleh**_


	22. Dreams - College AU (Month Day 11)

_**A/N: Day 11, Dreams. Another College AU. This one takes place after Callum's already sketched her, so yeah. I say that because the whole sketching thing happens literally right after Game On, so only for continuities sake. Anyways, enjoy!**_

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_**Chapter Summary: **__Rayla never quite understood the whole concept of dreams. Everyone's got something they aspire to be, they strive toward. But she never got that chance. Maybe she should ask the artist? College AU._

_**Word Count: 2,866**_

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**Dreams**

"What made ya want to be an artist?"

The question seemed so abrupt to Callum her startled himself from his work. Raising his head from his desk, he turned over to his bed, where laid Rayla. She was lying stomach down, attempting to work on her homework from Philosophy. He was sketching once more, practicing his anatomy lessons her learned earlier her day. They decided to work together, but Callum quickly learned Rayla was more of a chat and talk kind of student. Not that he minded of course.

He chuckled as he furrowed a brow at her. "What brought that on?"

She dropped her pencil and looked at Callum, shrugging nonchalantly. "I dunno. I just… I guess I realize I've never asked."

Callum smirked at her, clearly not buying her nonchalance, but deciding to throw a bone regardless. "Well, what didn't?" He smiled to himself thoughtfully. "Everywhere around me there was art. Growing up, it was hard not to notice. My mom loved exposing me to some of her favourite Shakespearen plays, and showing me her craft work that she did in her younger days." He smiled. "She used to spend her entire teen years just, doing art. The amount of stuff she made, the things she showed me? It was insane."

Rayla smiled. "That sounds nice."

"Yeah…" he released a content sigh. "My step-dad did his fair share too. Although his tastes kinda varied from me a bit, he also loved exposing me to literature. _Moby Dick_, _Grapes of Wrath_, _Lord of the Flies_, he introduced all those classics even though they were, two or three reading levels above mine."

"Wow…" Rayla said in awe. "So… ya've practically been inspired by a young age, eh?"

Callum chuckled. "I guess you could say that. But… I didn't want to be an artist until like, my last years in elementary school."

"Where?"

The artist had almost forgotten the girl before him hadn't even originated from his country. He had yet to really ask about her past and such, but gathered she moved to america specifically for Katolis College, so she hadn't exactly grown up here, but fairly understood a few bits and piece of American culture. "Oh uh, they're like," he stopped to ponder his explanation, "uhh, you guys have primary schools, right?"

"Aye."

"Well, they're like the same thing. Some vary to like, kindergarten to grade five, others go to grade eight," Callum explained, "And well, for my school, it went to grade eight."

"And ya didn't realize ya wanted to be an artist until then?"

He nodded. "Maybe around like, grade seven more accurately, but yeah." Callum smiled as he remembered how it all began. "I was uh, from a young age, like around grade 1 or something, my folks and teachers realized I was gifted."

"What, were ya creating paintings that could rival Picasso?" the football player teased.

Callum laughed. "No, no, nothing like that," he shook his head, "I apparently have photographic memory."

Rayla's eyes went wide. "Oh…" she said, clearly surprised. "Wow… that's, that's amazing!"

His cheeks faintly flushed at the compliment as he attempted to brush it off, "Nah, it's-it's not a big deal." He waved his hand dismissively. "An-Anyways, it's just, they realized it and after a bunch of tests, it was true. So… yeah, that sorta made studying and schoolwork a bit easier."

Rayla laughed. "I'd imagine so," she mused. "Ya're the ideal package! Smart, cute, and artsy," she finished with a wink just for good measure.

It seemed Callum's cheeks were dependant on betraying him that day, as he felt them darken even more. "W-Well, not exactly," he corrected. "I uh, didn't exactly do well in math. And when it came to application questions, I didn't really set the bar high."

When Rayla's brow raised in confusion, Callum sighed. "Just because I have the photographic memory, doesn't mean I have the knack for actually understanding what I remember," he sadly explained. "My, 'gift', if you can call it that, sure made studying things like the sciences a breeze, the memorization with chemistry and biology flew past with ease. But… actually applying what I learned? Like, thinking questions? I tanked them almost all the time." His smile was plastered on with no warmth, it was a sad smile. "I-I could remember all the formulas and equations, sure, but… I just… never understood how to really, _apply_ them. Like, actually use them the way they were supposed to. Memorization practically means nothing if you can't understand what you're memorizing."

A rough silence stirred between the two. Rayla had risen up and was now sitting cross legged on Callum's bed, frowning. She looked like she was pitying him. He couldn't blame her. He practically shut down the cool idea that was photographic memory, and replaced it with something like it was a curse that he couldn't accept.

"It's like," she spoke up, "there's a difference between memorizing and understanding…"

His eyes widened in surprise. "Yeah, exactly," he smiled. "How'd you… yeah."

She shrugged. "It's kinda the reason why I actually like literature growing up," she explained, "A lot of my other classmates just memorized all the themes we talked about in class, and all the quotes, and all that junk. But I… I could tell none of them really bothered to understand literature. They were all smart kids, so they studied literature like any other science. But… it's more than that." She smiled as she looked down at her fumbling thumbs. "They can remember all we talked about in class, all the themes and metaphors we discussed, but they'd never really _feel _them."

Callum couldn't help but smile at her. Of course, out of all the people he's met in his life, _she'd_ be the one person who could actually understand what he has been going through. He chuckled as he shook his head. "That's exactly why I fell into the arts," he said in a soft tone. When he was met with her curious and intrigued smile, he smirked back. Homework and sketches be darned, this was clearly going to be a long one.

"Like I said, I didn't _get_ maths and all that. But, man, I remember the first painting I saw." He laughed, realizing the irony. "I mean, of course I would," Rayla rolled her eyes, "but it was… it was life changing. It wasn't the first painting I ever saw, but it was the first one that _really_ moved me."

"Anyone famous?"

"Yeah, but it'll surprise you," he warned with a smile. "_Starry Night_," he said with a whispered pizazz.

Rayla furrowed her brows. "Really? Of all the Van Gogh's, I would've thought it would be somethin' like _The Church at Auvers_, or _The Potato Eaters_, heck, maybe even _Starry Night Over the Rhône_!" she laughed. "I mean, it's a beautiful one, no doubt his most famous piece."

Callum nodded. "Yeah… but, it just, the emotions I felt when I saw it. I felt like, this was telling me something. It was showing me… something I never had before." He smiled as he remembered all the feelings that overwhelmed him that day as a young boy. "After all the other things I've seen, and memorized, seeing _Starry Night_ made me finally _understand_ something for once. I felt Van Gogh's emotions against the brush, the story within the skies, the dimness and light he illustrated." He released a wondrous sigh. "It-It just hit me all at once and… it felt good. It felt amazing. That, I could not only understand the emotions, this, illness he wanted to capture, the contrast of death and life all around this asylum—it hit me all at once." Callum looked at Rayla with a proud smile. "It was the one thing I was glad to have stuck in my mind."

Rayla stared at him with awe. "Wow… that… that sounds beautiful Callum."

"Thanks," he replied.

"So… your photographic memory led ya to the arts?" she clarified, still curious.

"Yup. If I have the memory, I decided I might as well fill it up with things I actually like," he jested, shrugging with nonchalance.

Rayla chuckled. "That's amazing…" Her frown formed as she looked down at her schoolwork. "Sounds like ya've had your whole life ready."

"Aw, c'mon, like you haven't?" Callum retorted. "You're the star of our football team! Soon NFL scouts will be on your radar and you'll be on… whatever the best team is for the NHL."

Rayla rolled her eyes and snorted. "The New Orleans Saints, and no, I'm more of a Seahawks fan," she proudly informed him. Callum threw up his hands in innocence and shrugged. "But… it's not that," she frowned. "I… I dunno."

Callum frowned at Rayla. Scooting forward on his office chair, he rolled over to his bed and placed his hand on her knee. "Hey, c'mon, talk to me." She stared back at him, hesitant. "This is about why you asked me, huh?"

She nodded.

"Well… I'm all ears," he gestured to her.

Rayla let out a deep sigh. "It's… complicated." Callum restrained himself from rolling his eyes. That was the most vague cliche to start with. "I… I'm not some, big shot football player because I've been watching American football in Scotland since I was a wee lass, and I've always dreamed about making it to the big leagues!" she said in a dramatic high voice. "I was never like that." Callum's confusion only egged her on. "I… there was a football club at my old highschool and… my dads lived in America for a few years and loved playing football in their free time. So, of course they brought that passion with them when they came home. Whenever they were off from work they'd just play in the yard, tossing the ball back and forth. Of course I joined, and so, when I heard there was a team at my school, I wanted to see what else the sport had in store!" she cheerily smiled.

Callum smiled back at her exposition.

"It turns out when ya've been playing football ever since ya were six, that makes ya a real star athlete in terms of a rookie team that apparently _just got _put together during my first year," she said in a shy voice, erupting in nervous laughter at the end.

Callum's jaw dropped. "Well _yeah_," he exclaimed, "practicing from a young age kinda helps!" He laughed, shaking his head at Rayla's sudden shyness.

Rayla scoffed as she lightly thumped his shoulder. "That's besides the point!" she shot back. "An-And it wasn't like I was a star wide receiver, or the best tackle or center, because all I really practised was just throwing!"

The realization hit Callum like the sudden reveal in a mystery movie. "And that's how you became a star Quarterback!" he said, eyes widening at the conclusion. "Wow…"

Rayla sighed. "Aye… from then on, I… I maintained my grades, I kept above honours and such, I-I loved English and all the Humanities courses." Her small smile, that had briefly returned, faltered. "But… my dads said football was a good pastime and I shouldn't stay on the team if I wasn't going to give it my all." She shrugged. "At first, it was for fun, but since our rising rookie team started winning tournaments and championships, whatever ya call 'em, it brought the attention of a lot of people. People with strings." She frowned. "A bunch of college scouts from America made the trip to Scotland to see my last game. We won, decimated the team, and it was great!" Callum laughed at her cheery recap. "But, that win was so good I got riddled with dozens of offers from college scouts."

Callum's eyes went wide once more. "Whoa…"

"Yup," Rayla nodded. "So I basically lost any all chances at, well, deciding my future because how can I, a girl with a low income household, turn down a scholarship offer at some of the best Colleges in America?" She scoffed. "I couldn't do that to my parents. Not especially after all they did to encourage my playing." Her smile returned as it seemed with the memories associated with it. "But, I actually enjoyed school! English class was my favourite, I loved every second of it. And…" she stopped herself, as if she was too ashamed to say it.

Callum's eyes darted over to her Philosophy book, and it hit him. He leaned over and held her hands, halting them from twiddling around with her thumbs. "Philosophy."

She nodded, shamefully, as if she had committed a sin. "I… I had so much fun… I actually loved learning about Metaphysics and Ethics, and how Philosophers debunked and proved theories and beliefs back then. I… I loved it. But… football came easy to me. Football just, happened. And… I was told that life doesn't always hand ya stuff, so when it does, ya better be acceptin' with open hands." She shook her head. "If I had this one talent that made me, well… me. If it could make my dads happy… then… I had to." She smiled as she looked up at Callum. "But, the offer still came to me and I had to make my choice, so I settled on the one option that made sense. The one school that made me an offer _and_ had a prestigious art program."

Callum smiled. "Katolis College."

"Katolis College," she echoed, nodding her head. "So yeah… I… I'm here, and I-I do love the sport! But… this," she flicked her open book. "It's still fun."

Callum frowned. "And because you're on a scholarship, you can't drop the ball."

Rayla shook her head. "Nope, gotta keep on throwing it. It's how I can stay." She shrugged. "Part of me wants to leave, to go back and just… I dunno. But, another part of me wants to stay here to see… what I can do. If… If there really is a shot for me here. I just… I don't know what I want to do. I'm in college, and _I still_ don't know where I can go from here."

Callum stared at her, wordlessly. That… was a lot to take in. Practically everything he knew about her just shifted to fit this gap of a history lesson. That sucked. He had no idea what to say. He had his life figured out and molded by his interests, but Rayla never got the chance. "I'm… sorry. That… you're stuck with football"

Rayla scoffed, retracting her hands from his. He hadn't even realized he was holding them for that long. "Don't be. I like football. I do. Love it in fact! I just… I dunno if this was what I wanted to become." She looked at Callum with a small smile. "When I asked ya what made ya want to be an artist, I just… I wanted to know if all dreams started out like mine. Like… there was always this other path, but ya're forced to go down one way because—"

"It's easier," Callum finished. Rayla stared at him, surprised. "Rayla, as an artist, let me just say, shooting for your dreams is _always_ hard." He laughed humorlessly. "It's never easy. And it _is_ a struggle. But, the struggle is different for all of us. I had to overcome my whole photographic memory thing and apply to what I love. Others, they need to settle on what they want and how they want to do it. Some know everything they want to be and become, but can't afford it!" He grabbed her hand and smiled. "The point is. Whatever you want to be, you can still decide. And it's not too late. If you're still pursuing Philosophy and Literature because you want to, that's fine! But eventually, down the road, you're gonna discover which path you want. Right now you're one of the few people who can actually have a choice later on in life. You get to decide what you want to be, because you worked hard what you loved."

Rayla seemed to stare thoughtfully at the artist, letting his words soak in. She embraced his hand, smiling at him and nodded. "Ya're right. I… I can decide."

He nodded. "Exactly."

"I love my studies, and I love football," she exclaimed, "I can do both for now!"

Callum nodded again. "Exactly."

"An-And, when I'm ready, I'll tell my dads!" she whispered.

Callum squeezed her hand. "And I can help with that, if you want."

Rayla smirked. "And what, buy ya your own ticket to Scotland? I'm here on scholarship, I'm not made of money!"

The two shared a laugh, echoing the room with their reunited joy. Neither of them could be bothered to notice how long they stared into each other's eyes. Or how comforting it felt to hold each other's hands. None of them realized how much of their lives they just dumped onto each other, and how much that meant to them. They couldn't be bothered to even consider how close they were, laughing in pure bliss. What that meant to them, could be decided in the future.

Only in their wildest dreams.

* * *

**_A/N: _****_So, once again, I made another College AU. I'm not sure what really made me want to make it an AU, but I guess the concept for dreams really opted well for college at least. Can you tell I just graduated high school? Yeah, still big on the whole dreams thing so of course I've non stop been thinking about my future. It's scary shit. So, I decided to put a little spin on things and drop some lore behind College AUs Callum and Rayla. I sort of retconned a segment in the last College AU, instead of making Runaan the coach I made Harrow the coach now. And if you know the TDP lore, then it should be a fairly subtle nod toward who Rayla's parents are._**

**_That aside, I hope you guys liked it! This was dialogue heavy, and it was rough. But I'm happy I got it up in time!_**

**_tomorrow is hugs/holding hands!_**

**_Until next time,_**

**_\- Bleh_**


	23. What Embrace Means to Me (Month Day 12)

_**A/N: Day 12: hugs/holding hands. This one's very different from the rest. It's similar to the sunset/sunrise oneshots, but, no dialogue here. Just, give it a try?**_

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**Chapter Summary: **_Rayla liked hugs. She always has. Callum likes holding hands. He always has. So why does it feel so different when they do it together?_

**Word Count: 486**

* * *

What Embrace Means to Me

Rayla liked hugs.

She was no stranger to affection growing up, and what she lacked from her parents, Runaan made up for in his own way. The occasional comfort from rewarding her for simple things like her first successful knife throw, or her first spar win. She'd look to her mentor with an excited smile, showing full on how proud of herself she was. He'd smile back and openly accept her rush of hugs. His embrace around her made her feel proud, at home, safe.

Her parents' hugs weren't exactly different. Back before the disaster that struck with the Dragon King, she's receive welcome home hugs all the time whenever she came back from training. Her mother's hug was soft, and warm, like a blanket. Her father's was similar to cloak, not as warm as her mother's, but clearly good enough to keep her sheltered and safe. She can faintly remember how it felt to hug them before they betrayed the Dragon King. Before they were cowards.

Grievances aside, their hugs and Runaan's made Rayla embrace the idea of entrapping herself into the comfort of another. She learned it's the best way to make people feel at ease, to ground them, to make them remember they aren't alone. It was the type of thinking that made her hug Ezran and Callum so much. The times they went through hardship, or needed the comradery, they held each other in their arms. Their friendship only signed itself with their contact.

And it was then Rayla learned what friendship hugs were like.

She liked hugging Ezran. He was cuddly, comforting, and felt raw. Like the physically embodiment of joy had actually taken the opportunity to hug her specifically. His probably felt like what hers felt like when she was younger.

But Callum? Callum was different. She didn't feel friend vibes from him, or the same energy she felt with Ezran. She felt comfort, but that was a definite in a friend. It was to be expected. But his warmth reminded her of her mother's, almost, intimate. She felt a lot warmer after hugging Callum. Regardless if it was for comfort or just embracing the moment, Callum's felt different.

It wasn't until he nearly died, when Rayla released why.

Ya mean too much to me.

She felt it. Of course, only she was holding him. But it made sense after that. All her emotions, into one—what she thought to be at the time—final embrace. Her heart quaking at the expectations, the mere idea of him not opening his eyes. But the relief that erupted as soon as he awakened. The flutter in her chest when she saw him expose his sudden mastery for Air. Her instinctive ability to always smile when he smiled back at her.

It was love.

Maybe.

Possibly.

All Rayla knew, was that after that, she loved hugs.

Especially Callum's.

::::

Callum liked holding hands.

It made him feel secure and grounded with his companion. Walking around, holding someone's hand, made him aware. Aware that he wasn't walking alone. Aware that the path he walked, was shared. It made him aware that, regardless of how small the gesture was, the contact between his hands and another's felt reassuring. It felt safe.

His mother's hands made him feel safe. When she walked him around the castle, exposing him to their new home, he felt safer. In a new, bigger, and somewhat colder place, her hands warmed his worried self. Fast forwarding through the years he loved to walk around the castle holding her hands. Even though he had memorized the entire place down to the stone, he liked holding her hands and walking. It was refreshing.

Holding hands with Ezran was sweet. He felt comforted, and he could tell Ezran did too. It felt nice to walk around and hold his younger brother's hand, knowing full well how much faith was put into their grasp. The way Ezran held on when he was younger, felt like his entire life was being entrusted into him. It was reassuring knowing how much his brother trusted him, and how much that trust held on years later. Ezran's hands were nice and soft, fragile but firm when scared. Like during a thunderstorm or snowstorm, walking around late at night to tire him out was the go to strategy for Callum. Of course he'd hold his hand all throughout. Of course he easily accepted his trust and led him around, fully on guard for anything. Ezran's touch was trusting.

Callum had never held hands with his friends before. Soren seemed to want to touch him with a wooden sword more than any basic skin on skin contact. He seemed to reserve his expression of care with more directly physical actions than the clear cut and dry comforting ones. Of course Claudia was a different story. Callum always wanted to hold her hands, to understand what it felt like to hold the hands of—what at the time he considered—a true Mage. He dreamt up the day he could muster up the courage to ask her and walk down the halls of the castle with their fingers intertwined. But after her dark side shown through, Callum couldn't imagine those same hands that conjured magic to destroy their last Hope ever being comforting.

So his last resort was Rayla.

It was merely only for a moment.

Practically could fly by in their heads as nothing but a casual touch.

All it took was one night under the stars, rested beside a small burning campfire. He had taken the opportunity to discuss the constellations that reigned high above, and learned he and her had different constellations from their cultures. The curiosity and interest took priority and they fell into it. It just happened. He wanted to show her all the stars he knew, and vice versa. And their night shifted easily into this nice, tender moment between the two. A moment where they just learned about each other, and their peoples. It was nice.

So nice, that Callum hadn't realized he'd been holding Rayla's hand the entire time. He had her in a firm, soft embrace, intertwining each finger into hers. It was perfect. Her fingers slipped into his like they were meant to, and the way she squeezed his hand, holding onto him with a warm comfort, it was nice.

It wasn't until the next night they tried again, that Callum realized why it felt so nice.

Her safe was different from his mom's. It's refreshing feel was different than that. It was reassuring and nice. It was different from the trusting touch he felt with Ezran. Different in the ways his family's hand felt to him. But it didn't feel worse. It felt sweet in its own way. It felt like the type of touch he hadn't ever felt before. It was the type of touch he imagined he'd feel when holding Claudia's hands.

Rayla's hands fit his.

Like they were meant to.

Maybe that meant something?

Either way, Callum still loved holding hands.

Especially Rayla's.

* * *

_**A/N: **_**_So yeah. Sorry it was so short. And had no dialogue. When I wrote this, that's sort of the vibe I just got when I finished. I felt like words couldn't exactly capture their thoughts, especially the way they're illustrated here, and I left it off like that. No talking. Just thoughts. Lemme know if you liked, or if you didn't! I'll make so not to do this more then if people don't like it. _**

**_Anyways, tomorrow's teasing! Another College AU! Just thought I'd share that now! See you then!_**

**_Until next time,_**

**_\- Bleh_**


	24. Just Teasing - College AU (Month Day 13)

_**A/N: Day 13, teasing. Ahh, this college AU is super fun to write. Y'all will like this one.**_

* * *

_**Chapter Summary: **__ It's just fooling around. That's all they've been doing. It looks like flirting. They're poking fun. But that's all it is. Just teasing. Even if their friends don't see it the same way._

_**Word Count: 3,177 (what stark contrast in words compared to the last one.)**_

* * *

**Just Teasing**

"So, whattya think?" Callum asked, holding up his sketch to the rest of the group sat at their table. An early afternoon, no classes for any of his friends, he suggested they sit down somewhere and have lunch together. He realized that in all his time spent hanging out with Rayla, he never actually hung out with her _and_ his friends. Sure, Soren had spent time with her during practises, but Rayla had stated before how bare minimum their interactions really are. And Claudia only had seen the girl and spared a few greetings, nothing concrete. So he wanted to get some good interactions between the three.

Of course, Claudia and Soren jumped at the opportunity because there was one thing Callum had _never_ done in the time they knew him: _make plans_. It was so random and such a spur of the moment kind of thing, Claudia was surprised at how nonchalant he was about it. Any other person wouldn't be surprised, because plans like these are meant to be spur of the moment, but Callum? He didn't work that way. Soren was impressed Callum was so relaxed about the details too, he texted them to show up whenever they can, as long as they just send a heads up in advance. It was so lax and cool, they were convinced something was amiss.

And then they realized why.

Somehow, Callum failed to mention that he also invited Rayla. And boy, was it obvious to the siblings why.

Claudia perked up first, smiling at the artist. "Wow Callum, that looks beautiful!" she said, praising his drawing like always.

Soren raised his brow as he thoughtfully looked upon the sketch. "Wow, nice detail. Another great to add to your collection!" he mused, raising his can of pop at the young man.

A snort erupted from the other side of the table. Soren and Claudia, sat on the one side, glanced over at the other football player in shock. She was sat beside Callum, _very close_ to his person, and rested her back against the table, extending her legs the other way. Her arms propped up onto the table, she casually glanced at the drawing, making a face of disapproval. She shook her head. "Ya've done better." Claudia and Soren couldn't believe what they were hearing from the woman. Especially since it was a drawing of _her_!

It was a sketch of her mimicking the exact pose she was in right now, done to what they thought was a perfection! Like always. But Rayla had the audacity to say otherwise? Before either sibling could rise to object and defend their friend, Callum himself chuckled.

"Aww, c'mon," he whined.

Rayla rolled her eyes. "It's not _bad_," she amended, turning her body around and tucking her legs underneath the table, "but." She grabbed the book and placed it down on the table, pointing at the edges of his sketch. "Your lines are bolder around my arms. It's not in a stylistic way too, because I've seen your other sketches of me and of people. And your shading kinda lacked around my neck, it looks… off." She glanced up at the artist and quirked up a smirk. "Plus, ya gave me four fingers instead of five." She laughed, sliding the book back toward him.

Callum snorted. "Maybe I think you look better with four," he mused, "besides, less fingers might mean you'll throw better."

Rayla laughed, curling back her pinky finger, she held her hand up at him. "Shall we test that theory?" she glanced over at Soren. "Ya brought your football right? Toss it here, I wanna see if I can show Callum proper shading by colouring his cheeks black and blue," she quipped, gesturing her fingers in a frame around his face.

Callum laughed in response as he held up his hands. "How about I try again? And if I do it properly, you _don't_ attack me?" he suggested.

Rayla smiled as she leaned in close, bumping her shoulder with his. "No promises."

He smirked as he pointed his pencil over to the football in Soren's hands. "I bet I'd have better luck sketching the ball itself then."

Rayla feigned a shocked gasp as she held a hand up to her chest, still curling back her fifth finger. "Why Callum, are ya sayin' that a football looks _prettier_ than me?"

He shrugged and leaned over the table, taking Soren's ball out of his hands regardless of his wordless answer, and placing it on the table. "There's no real difference," he shot back, "both reek of leather and are hardheaded."

He earned a light smack to his arm. "Smartass," she muttered. "How do I 'reek of leather'?" she asked incredulously.

"Aside from the fact that you toss a football around nearly everyday?" Callum questioned, "Try looking in the mirror for once. Your boots are practically a tier a way from cowboy." He scoffed, shaking his head as he began dragging his pencil around his freshly turned page. As he eyeballed the ball, Rayla rolled her eyes and shook her head, chuckling.

Then suddenly, the young woman's eyes shot wide open as she desperately placed her hand on his shoulder, holding him in a fierce grip as if she had just come to a realization. "Cal, Cal, _Cal_," she repeatedly slapped his arm as she bounced in her seat.

"Ow, ow, ow, what _Ray_?" he whined, attempting to shy his arm away from her barrage.

"Cowboy jock," she whispered with a smile. The artist perked his head up from his sketch, ears wide open. "C'mon, ya _know_ that'd be a fun one!"

Callum's lips slowly upturned as he looked her way. "I dunno, I think I'd do well with a reference."

Rayla scowled, obviously with no bite. "Ya just want an excuse to see me in a cowboy hat and boots."

He merely shrugged as he returned to his sketching. "Yee haw," he muttered. The two erupted into a bout of joyous laughter, clearly proud of the humour they just elicited in the past few minutes.

Speaking of the past few minutes, the two _other_ friends invited to this hangout? Gobsmacked. Completely wordless. Just in awe. As Claudia exchanged a glance with her brother, she knew they were both thinking the same thing. Callum was acting different. Callum was more bolder, louder. Callum was laughing more. Heck, Callum was _talking more_. It only boiled down to one thing.

And Claudia couldn't help but be proud of the man.

She leaned over and propped her elbows on the table, resting her chin on her hands excitedly, she sighed at the two. "Sooo," she sweetly sung, "how long have you two been together?"

The blush that caught them frozen still spoke volumes. And stirred a flurry of denials and awkwardness they weren't ready for. Profused proclamations about being just friends and nothing going on between them. They're "just teasing" was all they said to defend whatever chemistry they had. This entire time, they thought Callum did this to introduce them to his girlfriend, in a formal, personal way.

Claudia turned to Soren, and found his expression was similar: dumbfounded.

There was no way…

::::

"I just, I don't see how you two _aren't_ dating," Claudia began, pacing around Callum's room as she ranted, "Like-Like, the way you guys act? That's just so… so…" she released a mixture of a squeal and a frustrated sigh, all the while waving her hands around spontaneously. "Y'know?" she asked, staring at the boy sat at his desk.

Callum snorted as he kept his head focused on his sketchbook. "No, I do not," he laughed. "Despite all our years as friends, I still can't speak Claudia." She walked over and flicked his shoulder. "Hey! What?"

She sighed. "You're being dumb," she muttered. "It's just… you two are _so obvious_ it's painful."

"I'm sorry, being a sadist was not on my agenda today," he sarcastically shot back.

Claudia groaned as she fisted her hair and returned to her pacing. "Oh my god Callum, you are—" she shook her head as she dropped her arms. "Like, how? What? You…" she stopped as she noticed what he was drawing. Or rather, what he was redoing. It was his sketch of Rayla from earlier in the quad. The one she made fun of, but actually constructively criticized. She actually commented on his work in a way Claudia and Soren never could. And by the way Callum was correcting his mistakes, Claudia could tell he was actually noting what Rayla said. She knew what she was talking about too. "Are sketching her… again…" she whispered.

Callum simply shrugged. "Yeah so? I always do. Besides, she was right about the four fingers, I've always sucked at hands," he sighed, "the struggle of every artist." He cocked his head as he smiled at the drawing. "Although, Ray doesn't look too bad with four fingers, eh?"

Claudia's eyes bulged. "Oh my lord—you even have pet names for each other!"

"They're nicknames!" Callum laughed, staring at Claudia with an amused face.

"You never let us call you nicknames," she pointed out with a pout.

"Because, _The Artist _and _Sketchers_, aren't good nicknames," Callum shot back, smug as ever.

Claudia made a note to make sure to mention those nicknames to Rayla later on.

She shook her head. "I just… I think—" her mind froze as she realized something Callum had just said. "Wait… did you say… you _always_ sketch her?"

Callum shrugged as he made a small grunt of confirmation, still focused on buffing out his outline of Rayla.

Without hesitation, Claudia snatched the book out of his hand, and much to the complaints and dismay of the artist, began flipping through the pages. It was amazing. Nearly _every single_ page had a sketch of Rayla inside it. Various pages of her just sitting, casually leaning back against a chair or wall. But most of the casuals had her laughing or smiling. Claudia might've not known much about art, but she definitely noticed Callum's facial expressions were improving, or at least, different than before. They looked happier.

But there was also a select few that were obscure and clearly not casual, like they were poses or done premeditatedly. He had not just sketched her. But he _sketched _her.

"Oh you've got it bad…" she muttered.

Callum frowned as he snatched the book back from Rayla. "Hardy har, so she's a fun reference to draw? So what? Tons of artists have consistent muses. Rayla's fun to draw. Her jacket's pretty cool and so are her outfits, it's a nice combination to practice mixed in with facial expressions and anatomy."

His response seemed so rehearsed and quick Claudia couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was that what he convinced himself? Was that just denial? Was he in denial of his feelings or hers? Or did he just like playing dumber than Soren? Claudia merely laughed to herself, earning more confusion from Callum.

Surely not.

::::

"So is he a fling?" Soren spontaneously asked.

The sudden question threw Rayla off so much she nearly missed the catch, and had to duck the oncoming airborne ball. As it bounced around the grass, she heard a whistle blow from behind.

"Rayla, c'mon, don't slack. Just 'cause you can throw 'em doesn't mean you shouldn't learn to catch them!"

Rayla sighed as she rushed over to pick up the football. "Aye, sorry Coach Harrow!" she shouted. Turning back, she shot Soren a stern glare. "The Hell's wrong with ya?" she shouted back at their captain. She arched her arm back and launched the ball right at him.

His eyes shot wide open as he quickly threw his hands up. His form was barely enough to defend his face, and resulted in the ball bouncing out of his hand. Of course, he also yelped like a little girl too. "Yikes," he muttered as he picked up the ball.

The whistle blew once again. "Soren, just 'cause you're captain doesn't mean you can slack. Pick it up or ten laps around the field, you choose!" Coach Harrow shouted.

Soren winced at the threat as he nodded. "Gotcha Coach!" he shouted, throwing the ball over to Rayla. She easily made the catch, smugly smiled. After receiving and annoyed glare, Rayla tossed it back. He caught the perfect spiral and sighed. "Sorry for asking," he unapologetically replied, his tone laced with spite. "I was just curious is all." He arched his arm and threw.

Rayla caught it and took five steps back. "In my sex life?" She arched and threw.

Soren rolled his eyes and caught the ball. Five steps back and he shook his head. "Just thought, how else could you two be so close and _not_ dating?" He adjusted his grip and launched the ball.

Rayla shrugged after catching. She sarcastically replied, "Uhh, because we're friends?" She took five more steps back and shook her head, before throwing the football once again.

It spiraled through the air, perfectly arching over to Soren, who made the flawless catch in response. "Rayla, friends don't act the way you two did!"

"Yeah they do, it's called teasin'!" she shouted back.

Soren groaned and threw the ball, this time a little more aggressively. The ball's spin was less gracious than Rayla's but it made the distance. "No, that's with regular friends. With us? Callum doesn't let us get away with making fun of his art! Let alone being snarky!" he explained. "Like, what you guys were doing is _way different_ from the way Clauds and I tease him!"

Rayla frowned as she tossed the ball up and down, clearly not believing him. "Ya're delusional!" she stated. Before he could react, she arched and threw.

Reflexively, he ran to catch it, barely managing to get it in his grasp. He rushed back to his spot and sighed. "And I think you're in denial!" He stepped back another five steps and threw it over.

She caught it. "That we're just friends? Sure." She took five steps. "Since when did ya become a love expert?" she asked as she threw.

Another spectacular spiral, another clean catch. "Aside from the fact that I'm good with the ladies?" despite the distance he could she snorted. "It's 'cause I know Callum!"

"Ya ditched him at a party he clearly didn't want to go to!"

He frowned as he took five steps back. "Fair point!" he arched back and released. "But I know that he has _never_ acted that way around us!"

Rayla chuckled as she caught the ball. She took five steps and shrugged. "Maybe if ya didn't ditch him so much ya'd actually know?" she inquired before throwing the ball.

Soren caught it and laughed. "Rayla, I've known him longer than you! Way before Katolis too! His dad and my dad are friends! We've been hanging around each other since I was a freshman in highschool!" He took five steps back. "And for starters? Callum's _never_ let any of us get away with nicknames!" He tossed it back.

Rayla smirked as she caught the ball. "Probably because yours are all terrible," she mused.

"You think Sketchers is lame?" he asked.

She laughed, clearly not ready for the name. "Okay, okay, nevermind, that's good," she accepted. "But so what? We just call each other our names, but shortened! Isn't that what a nickname's for?" he arched and threw it back.

Soren groaned in irritation after catching her flawless long armed throw. "The point is, he's different with you! And it's obvious you act different with him!"

"Ya don't know me!" she shot back.

"I know you don't talk much," he pointed out, "You're more laid back and chill about things! But with Callum? Clearly something's got you up in good spirits!" He threw the ball.

Rayla caught it and rolled her eyes. "So what? Friends make each other happy! Isn't that the whole point of friendship? We make each other laugh because we can! That's all it is! Just teasing!"

Soren couldn't believe it. There was no way she was that thick about it. She was right, friends do that for each other. But what _they_ were doing? It didn't feel like a just friends vibe. That teasing was more comforted, personal. Soren would know, as he was the self-proclaimed king of teasing. And what those two had? It was _much_ more than what they made it out to be.

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts he didn't noticed the ball heading toward him. "Heads!" he heard Rayla shout. With the warning in mind, he ducked and felt the whizz of the ball breeze over his back.

Another whistle. "Dammit, Soren, what're you doing! Head in the game, stop messing around and talking about my son! Gossip later!" Harrow shouted as he hurriedly walked toward the two. "Goes double for you too Rayla," he pointed at her as he walked over to Soren.

Rayla's face flushed as she watched her coach breeze by. Her thoughts ran circles around her as she realized what had just happened. They were _really_ far from each other. Her body crawled with stares, no doubt from the rest of her teammates. They were loud too. And her coach… of course. She felt her flushed face only brightened as she heard her teammates break into murmurs. She glared at Soren, who simply shrugged as he ignored Harrow's berating.

Oh she was going to have words with a certain artist.

::::

"So…" Claudia began, lightly bumping her shoulder against her brother's. "What'd you pick up on your end?"

"Just…" Soren sighed as they walked across the quad. "Pointless loops. They're in denial right?"

"So in denial," his sister eagerly agreed. "But like, of their own feelings or of each other's?"

"I'd say it's both."

A silence stirred as they strolled. But Callum wasn't wrong about Rayla being a good muse. He probably just never had someone to draw. Claudia and Soren hadn't exactly offered themselves like Rayla did, so he was probably excited to have a consistent model to use. If Rayla seemed to understand art, then she probably enjoyed posing for him. And Rayla wasn't far off about friends just jesting around. She wasn't exactly one to shy away from snarking or dry wit, and it definitely match Callum's. Could the two just be good friends?

As if they had come to the same conclusion, the two exchanged a look, about to speak.

"Hey Sketchers!" Rayla shouted. Their attention, as well as other nearby students, shot over to the running football player. They stopped in their tracks and realized who she was talking about.

Down her path, sat Callum, resting on a blanket with his sketchbook in hand. "Yes? My daily muse?" he smirked.

"Ya've got some explaining to do!" she shouted as she arrived at his spot, berating him with a flurry of swears and smacks of her hands and bag.

Claudia and Soren frowned at the sight. "They're clueless," they said together.

* * *

**_A/N: ahhh, this was a nice refresh to write. So, obvious this occurs after Callum sketched. Again, that'll be done after the ship month because it doesn't fit any of the other prompts I can do. There'll be more College AUs, so assume they all happen after he's sketched her. Soren and Claudia were fun to write, lemme know how I did with them! i just loved making these two tease each other around. It's fun._**

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**_Review response:_**

**_Prophet21: And I delivered. There'll be more to come, so stick around and I hope you enjoy!_**

* * *

**_Tomorrow's prompt is sightseeing! This is gonna be cute I think. Hopefully. We'll see._**

**_Until next time,_**

**_\- Bleh_**


	25. Perspective (Month Day 14)

_**A/N: Day 14 - sightseeing. This one changed last minute and kinda ruined my whole flow. But I like it. Hopefully you will too!**_

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_**Chapter Summary: **Rayla didn't hate sightseeing exactly. Callum stopping every so often to sketch a "nice view" was getting a bit annoying. But, that didn't mean she didn't enjoy his sketches. Or his own views on the scenery sketched within his pages._

_**Word Count: 1,447**_

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**Perspective**

"Now _that's_ a view."

Rayla shot an incredulous look back something the boy behind her, halting her pace alongside the pathway. She stared at him in annoyance, then followed his sight line over toward the large mountaintops several acres adjacent from them. Sure, it was a beautiful sight. But that was the same mountain they had seen from before. A day earlier they were on the West side of the mountain, now they were on the East. From the distance, it hadn't moved or changed at all. It's foliage and carved landscape limited only to its 360 degree viewings. That, and it was a mountain. They don't exactly change overnight.

"Callum," Rayla groaned. "What's so different about this view compared to all the rest?" she asked, with irritation laced within her tone. "All ya keep saying is, 'Now _that's _view!' Like, whattya mean! Nothin' changed!"

Callum knowingly shook his head as he clicked his teeth. "Ah, ah, ah, but that's where you're wrong Rayla," he chirped, raising his finger.

Zym perked up at his rebuttal, clearly eager to see where this fight was going to lead. He sat down as he wagged his tail, glancing between the two.

"For we were on the West side yesterday—"

"I know."

"—Which means," he promptly ignored, "a whole new perspective!"

"Oh so instead of seeing the sunny side of the mountain at sunset, we get to see the shady side!" Rayla deadpanned.

Callum frowned at her. "What's with that?" he asked.

She crossed her arms and shifted her weight to her right hip. "What's with what?"

"You hating on my appreciation for a good view?" he inquired, circling an accusing finger at her.

Rayla scoffed. "I'm not 'hating'," she corrected. "I'd just prefer getting good progress along instead of stopping to stare at _another_ view."

Callum rolled his eyes. "Easy for you to say. You practically grew up here, this view to you might as well be another tree! _I'm_ appreciating the sights!" he defended, jerking a thumb to himself.

"And slowing our progress," she pointed out, gesturing to the path before them.

"Aww, c'mon Rayla," he whined, "this is actually a nice view! It looks so… so… peaceful."

Rayla sighed. She hated seeing his face get so twisted up in his passionate emotions. He stared at the view with an obvious awe as he smiled, completely entranced by its beauty. He was simple like that. Or rather, it was the artist in him. That was what she saw. And she admired that he was taking more and more strides to step out of his shell and sketch more. It made him happy. The same way magic did.

Taking a deep breath, she nodded. "Fine. But ten minutes only," she relented. Maybe she was being soft. Or maybe she was willing to admit she was a tad tired from their walk. Either way, a small part of Rayla couldn't help but forget about her frowning and annoyance once Callum pumped his fist out of joy. He rushed down to the edge of the cliffside, hanging his feet off the edge, and pulled out his sketchbook. The eagerness in his face as he dragged his pencil across the page was amusing to watch. He was like a child given a box of coloured pencils and endless sheets of paper. He was so immersed in his work.

Rayla recounted all the times he got like that over a small view. And how excited he got about it.

After their encounter with Sol Regem, the two had made it up the mountain across and acquired a neat view of the land they had just crossed. From a distance, Rayla laughed at how small and trivial the lava of the Moonstone Path looked. It wasn't actually a complicated nor difficult obstacle, but it definitely raced some hearts for a moment. But Callum took a moment to glance over the river flow of lava. With his tongue sticking out and determination in his face, he sat down, cross legged, and drew the scenery from which they had _just_ escaped.

And he had done so to a perfection. The lava's streams of hot fire and molten, flowing against rocky paves floating with the current. It was done to a small, and intimate detail, but captured with much care. She supposed his photographic memory coincided with that. The familiarity with the landscape was emulated within the piece and it was obvious. The mountains and cliff sides were edged along with a realistic rough sketch, jagged like a true mountain. She asked why did he feel the need to recreate something they had just overcome.

"I dunno. It looked… like there was more to this, then just a line between two countries, y'know?" He shrugged, seeming unsure of himself as he touched off his work. "Like, there's actually nature here to make note of. That exists."

Since then, the cross over to Xadia was an event she looked at as a new page in their adventure, much like Callum did with his sketchbook.

Then the first town they came across, a small Sunfire village just a day away from the border, hidden amongst the wasteland trees. It was a quaint and lively town, mixed with a variety of happy and passionate elves, but wary ones too. Rayla recalled having to keep Callum in a low profile throughout and how stressful it became. An attempt to restock supplies and gain some extra became a taxing experience of keep away from the guards. Walking out, sweat beading down her body and exhausting ridden all over, she noticed Callum—while exhausted—still took the time to sketch out the village. They kept moving afterward, but he managed to get a base to work off from when they camped later that night.

He made the town lively. He made it peaceful. He captured the exact details they had rushed through. The hustle and bustle of the working and eager shopkeepers, selling off their finest merch and exotic resources, was mimicked to a fine degree of expression. The buildings were equally represented in their age, shedding themselves of bricks and stone, with the wear-and-tear of wood and molded scaffolding. The pathway was crowded much like when they were running through it, utilizing its camouflage for strangers to their advantage. But this time, its busyness wasn't out of convenience or purpose, but a mere representation of the culture. She smiled at the drawing.

"Next time, I hope we get to walk through one," he spoke up, clearly noticing her inspection of his work. "Maybe then all this clutter and liveliness will feel more real to me. But for now, at least it's a good reminder."

She quirked a brow. "For what?"

"To come back again when this is all over."

He said that about nearly every place. He said that about the lake by the Ocean Elves, the one that glistened off the reflection of the sun's light and mirrored the moon's true gaze at night. He said that about the mystical and spooky atmosphere of the _Cursed Caldera Forest_. He said that about the ruins and deserted villages they had wandered across, leaving them to their rusty and overgrown peace. Every place had something to say all of a sudden. And Callum made sure to capture and tell its story.

Maybe he made her realize that the view wasn't as small as she once thought.

"Finished!" he chirped, disrupting Rayla's deep thoughts. Ten minutes had really flown by.

She flashed her eyes over to him, smiling in anticipation as he fine tuned his work, lightly dragging his pencil across some lines. She wondered what the story would be this time, what the focus was that captured his eye.

Callum smiled, raising up his sketchbook at her proudly. A very well drawn portrait of her from the waist up, smiling a sparingly toothy smile. Her hair captured to perfection, her facial expression emulated its exact reality, and her proportions properly sized and balanced. It looked like her. And it was the foreground of his sketch. The background weighed in its own story of mountains and scattered tree lines, with puffy parted clouds and a setting sun. But, he had told her he was sketching the view. Yet, even though she wasn't much of an artist, Rayla clearly was the focus of this piece. It was his perspective drawn, but she was just shoehorned in at the center, posing in the bask outline of the background. It made no sense.

She quirked up a brow, ready to ask her question, but was met with a smug grin.

"See? Now _that's _a view."

* * *

_**A/N: Sorry for delays. If you are curious, my blog on tumblr explains why i'm delayed and all that. Anywho, I'm too lazy to actually type more so, next prompt is callum's bday.**_

_**Until next time,**_

_**\- Bleh**_


	26. Time & Effort (Month Day 15)

_**A/N: Day 15 - Callum's bday! Woot woot! Happy belated my guy, hope you all enjoy this!**_

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_**Chapter Summary:** __Rayla forgets to get Callum a birthday gift. So she resorts to asking help from their friends in order to think of a good gift to get him. Turns out they all have dumb ideas._

_**Word Count: 2,365**_

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**Time & Effort**

"His birthday?"

Claudia perked up at the sudden question, removing her eyes from her book as she stared at Rayla. "What about it?"

Rayla rolled her eyes as she sighed. "It's coming up, isn't it!" she reminded, waving her arms around. "And I've been so busy with my diplomatic duties, I forgot 'bout what to get him!"

Claudia put her book down whilst wearing a smug smile. "Ahh, I see, so this about how _you_ messed up and want to steal my gift idea?"

She frowned. "No. I'm not stealing anythin'. I just… I need help coming up with somethin'!" she claimed. She threw herself into the chair across from the older girl and released an irritated groan. "I can't believe after all these months, I've been fretting 'bout it, and now I almost forgot!" She angrily slammed her face against the table and sighed.

"Hey, at least you didn't _completely_ forget," Claudia pointed out, wearing a weak smile.

Rayla glanced up at the girl with a scowl. "Not. Better."

Claudia shrugged. "Debatable."

The Moonshadow Elf pouted as she lowered her head. "I'm such a terrible girlfriend." She shook her head as she fisted her hair. "How could I be so wrapped up in everythin' in our relationship and our work, but also forget to get him a gift?" she shouted.

"If it makes you feel any better, I only got him a new sketchbook," Claudia admitted with a smile.

Rayla waved her hand dismissively as she muttered, "Eh I already got him that. Everytime we travel I pick up a new one wherever we go."

Claudia frowned. "Wow, way to shoot down the excitement of my gift," she deadpanned.

The elf rolled her eyes. "Relax, he'll love yours. He always appreciates new sketchbooks," she assured her. "But me? I've practically gotten so many gifts over our travels that another gift might just seem normal to him. I've got step up!"

The two dwelled in silence thoughtfully, carefully crafting a creative solution to the younger girl's problem. Then, Claudia's face lit up. Rayla excitedly turned to her in joy, expectantly waiting for her answer. "You could always _make_ him something!"

Rayla's face dropped to a frown.

"I'm going to Soren."

::::

"A gift? Yeah I got him one ages ago," Soren claimed, swiping at Rayla with a heavy strike.

She blocked the blow with ease as her eyes went wide. "Seriously? _Ya_ were prepared for once?" With her blades crossed, she slowly started pushing against the head guard, forcing his footing a few steps back. "I don't believe it," she accused, alongside with her forceful push, sending him back a few feet. She rushed, with her blades switched to their hook forms, she slashed at his feet, anticipating his jump she readied her foot and kicked him square against the chest.

After landing on his back with a hard grunt, Soren flipped himself onto his feet and readied his blade. "Ouch, and what! Why? How come that's so hard to believe?" he asked, swiping his blade at the elf.

"Because you once forgot your sister's birthday?" Rayla shot back, dodging his barrage of swings. Once he threw a heavy left swing, she blocked it with both her blades, shooting him a look. "Nevermind that, what'd ya get him?"

Soren smugly smiled, a look that was very reminiscent of Claudia's—she guess they really were siblings. "I'm not telling you!" he defended. "I mean," he tilted his head, "not unless you beat me."

Rayla smirked as she narrowed her brows. "Deal," she gritted threw her teeth. She followed through by hooking her blades onto Soren's sword, and dragging them down to their ankles. She hopped into the air dropped kicked him square against the chest. Soren flew back a few more feet, flying right out of the ring and landing right on his back. As Rayla landed on her feet, Soren's sword clattered near them, whilst she retracted her blades into their handles. As Soren propped himself up on his elbows, Rayla crossed her arms at him, smugly smirking as she shifted her weight to her right hip. "Now, 'bout that deal?"

Soren groaned as he heard the uproar of laughter erupting at the benches. His collection of crownsguards, all doubling over in fits of giggles and amusement, admiring their captain's failure. "I'm going to double your shifts," he blankly claimed. Their faces dropped into horror, earning a smile from him. "Thank you," he smiled. "Now, as for the deal?"

Rayla's face perked up as she walked over to Soren, pointy ears wide open for listening. "Yes, yes, yes," she eagerly hurried, "What did ya get him?"

Soren wore a proud smile as he helped himself up to his feet. Pausing as if for dramatic effect, he raised his hands and shook them with pizazz, whispering, "A collection of feather pens."

Rayla's face scrunched up in confusion. "Feather pens? Quills?"

"Yeah!" Soren excitedly pitched. "I know he likes writing too, and I figured he'd like a cool collection of some rare feathers from some pretty rare creatures across our country!"

Rayla's face tightened in suspicion. "And… did ya hunt these rare creatures?" she skeptically inquired.

Soren's face transformed into shock. "What? Hey, I'm not Claudia, I wasn't the one going around killing animals or whatever!" he quickly defended. "They're collected _after_ they've already passed. Trust me!" That only made Rayla's suspicions grow. "Alright, fine, or not, the point is, I was not involved in killing and I do not know if anyone else is—I just got my man a present. That is that!"

Rayla's suspicions faded as she merely shrugged. "Eh."

"Eh? What's 'eh' about that?" he asked.

"I mean, I've already got him quill collections before, rarer ones from Xadia, along with fancy pencils and such," Rayla casually mentioned, shrugging once more. "He liked 'em. But he burnt through pencils quickly, and the feathers were reserved for letter writing, which he entrusts me to do because he likes my handwritin' more." She frowned as she thoughtfully glanced down. "I can't just get him another collection, he'll be so bummed out that _that's_ my best effort for his birthday!"

Soren blankly stared at Rayla. "Wow… months of gift planning only for his girlfriend to say my gift's a bummer."

Rayla winced at his comment as she said, "Sorry! I-I didn't mean that! I meant coming from me, he'll love it from ya!" She threw her hands up and added, "Meanwhile _I've_ gotten nowhere all morning!"

Soren rubbed the back of his head as he pondered an idea. "Ah! What about making him a gift? King Ez always did that for our birthdays, Callum loved his crafts—he'll love yours too."

"That's brilliant!" Rayla exclaimed.

"Really?"

"Yes! I'll just go ask Ez!"

::::

"So… you interrupted my meeting, to tell me you forgot my brother's—a.k.a. your boyfriend's—birthday?"

Rayla's body shrank at each word as she kept her gaze lowered. She didn't like how Ezran was also seated at his throne, holding his position of power respectively as he disappointedly loomed it over her. She managed to glance up at him, and frowned at his smug face. Maybe it was just humans in general that liked to look that smug.

"First off, I didn't forget his birthday," she defended, "I forgot to get him a gift. Second," she raised her finger, "that was _so _not a meeting! Ya were practically just havin' a lunch date with Queen Aanya—"

"We were discussing the trades between our kingdoms," Ezran quickly corrected.

"Without the rest of the council of your kingdoms? Or Xadia's council?" Rayla inquired. "Thought that our bi-weekly meetings were supposed to consist of all ambassadors and royal heads?" she cocked her head and crossed her arms at the king, proudly jutting out her hip as she smirked.

Ezran's face fell into a deep blush, causing some chuckles to emerge from the guards at his sides. He shot them glances, only leaving them to stifle their laughter poorly. Rayla grinned. Of course, as much as respectable and worthy of kingship Ezran was, he was also still thirteen. He definitely had the emotions of one too.

"Alright, alright, fine it was a date," Ezran relented, rolling his eyes.

Rayla squealed as she shook in her spot. "Oooh, ya're _so_ telling me 'bout this later!" she demanded, pointing an excited finger his way. Ezran's face dropped into a frown. "Anyways, I need to brainstorm 'bout a gift I can get Cal!"

Ezran sighed. "Ray, he'll love anything you give him."

"Yeah, if we were still _just_ dating," she pointed out, "but we're not! We're way past 'just'! We _are_!"

Ezran raised a confused brow as he glanced to his guards, who merely shrugged in confusion. "Uhh, yeah, you are?"

"Exactly! Which means no basic or regular gifts!" she explained, "I-I can't get him sketchbooks because I've already done that countless times, I can't get him pens or pencils, or quills, because I've done it dozens of times! What gift can I get the boy who's been by my side for _so_ long, that shows that I can give the same effort back?" she asked with a desperate look on her face.

The guards and Ezran exchanged hesitant looks, obviously afraid of the elven girl's outburst. They shrugged as Ezran cleared his throat. "Well… if effort's your concern, I usually make my gifts! Callum told me he appreciates the effort and thought a lot and that's what counts!" as he said this, the guards' faces went sheepish, obviously reluctant to add something. It went under Ezran's nose but was _very much_ noticed by Rayla.

So obviously Callum was just being a nice brother and just _saying_ that.

Which obviously meant Rayla couldn't do that. Rayla was by no means, an arts & crafts kinda girl. She was an Assassin. Assassins didn't exactly make birthday gifts. So that's why she's strictly avoiding the handmade process. She didn't have an artistic bone in her body. At least not one good enough for Callum's birthday.

"—why I made him collection of all his childhood drawings!" Ezran excitedly declared, shooting Rayla right out of her thoughts.

Confusion struck her. "What?"

"Yeah! I just collected all the childhood drawings he's either made for me or left behind in his travels, and I binded them into a book! I did it myself, because I like to get hands on when it comes to personal stuff!" Ezran explained, wiggling his fingers as if by means of demonstration.

Rayla thought about Ezran's gift and smiled. It wasn't actually that bad. It still possessed the artistic integrity Callum appreciated _and_ nodded back to his previous works. Which was something Rayla could definitely do. Something with sentimental value, but also craftsy. Something that will wring on his heartstrings, for both artistic and personal reasons.

She could do it.

::::

"Oh…" Callum uttered slowly. "You… made me… a…" he pensively held his words, glancing over to his friends for assistance. Soren and Claudia exchanged a look of equal confusion before shrugging their answer, and Ezran winced as he shook his head. Callum turned back to Rayla, his eyes faltering at how innocent and proud she looked for giving this to him. Something she claimed to be handmade, done all by herself.

It was blatantly obvious no doubt.

He held up the bundle of what he knew to be a violet coloured wool and massaged it with his fingers, slowly stretching and spreading it as he tilted his head, trying to wrap his head around what he was holding in his hands. It was still unfolding, but it also was folding into itself. There were holes in its design. At first he thought them to be for aesthetics, but he quickly realized there was no set pattern after the first four enormous gaps. After his sixth unfold, his eyes widened as it sunk in.

"You made me a shirt!" he shouted, smiling in surprise. "Wow! It… it looks good!" he nodded, smiling over at his girlfriend. His expression quickly dissipated as he noticed her pout. It hit him immediately. "This isn't a shirt… is it?"

Rayla sadly shook her head.

"It's…" his face winced as it clicked inside him. "It's a scarf… isn't it?"

Rayla sadly nodded.

"Hey…" he placed his hand on her shoulder. "It's fine," he assured her, "I get it, it was your first attempt—"

"Sixth," she corrected softly.

He heard seethes and stifled snorts escaped from behind him, causing him to shoot glares at his friends. They quickly shielded their expressions, gesturing themselves over to a vacant patch of grass far away from their picnic table. He turned back and moved his hand down to hers, placing it above as he caressed it softly. "Ray, I… I love it!"

"Don't do that," she quickly retorted, crossing her arms. "I… I just wanted to make ya somethin' with emotional value for once. And… I thought… since ya always have your mum's scarf… ya'd like another… just… y'know, if ya ever want wear another."

Callum smiled at her, shaking his head with a sigh. "Rayla, _every_ gift from you has emotional value. Because it's from _you_," he pointed at her, getting a smile to rise out of her. "I don't care what you get me, because I know you spent time and effort in getting it! Like every single time you just happen across a gift during our travels, you thought about it and got it for me because you _know_ me."

Rayla's head rose as a small blush formed on her cheeks. "Thanks Callum." She sighed. "Sorry to be such a baby on your birthday."

He snorted, waving a dismissive hand. "Nah," he pecked her cheek and pulled her into a hug, "you're fine. Besides I _really_ appreciate your efforts!" He dragged out his emphasis, but Rayla knew what he was doing it jokingly. She supposed the thought and efforts really did matter. "Just… never make a scarf again…"

She rolled her eyes and slapped his shoulder. "Knock it off!"

She was definitely just going to buy him another scarf next time.

* * *

_**A/N: Okay, so this was fun to do. I've always considered Rayla to be a not so craftsy kinda girl, so I figured along with her not being able to cook, her arts and crafts skills fall alongside those struggles. But boy can she still kick ass. I had fun writing, but I apologize for delays! If you don't follow me on tumblr, my friends and I were busy this week doing a Stranger Things marathon, a sort of recap before watching season 3. I had fun, loved it, and am now back into this ship month!**_

_**I hope I'll be able to at least get day's 16 and 17 up tomorrow. Then eventually catch up on Saturday or Sunday.**_

**_Anyways, next prompt for me is moonlight kiss, College AU everyone! Because I'm a sucker for making it, and y'all are enjoying it!_**

**_Until next time,_**

**_\- Bleh_**


	27. Sweet Exchange - College AU Month Day 16

_**A/N: Day 16 - moonlight kiss. oooooh, spicy...**_

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_**Chapter Summary: **__A supposed study session between Callum & Rayla suddenly turns into a night of exchanging sweet... moments. In which Rayla has something to prove & Callum's all ears. College AU._

_**Word Count: 1,997**_

* * *

**Sweet Exchange**

"How can you not like Coffee Crisp?"

Rayla merely rolled her eyes at the question as she turned her attention to the artist sat at his desk. Tonight was supposed to be some late night studying, him prepping her for her upcoming Philosophy test, while she aided him in his study notes for his Literature test. The night started off strong, until Rayal decided to bust out her bag of snacks to satisfy her sugar starved brain. Which led to her offering some to Callum. She simply tossed him some Coffee Crisps, claiming to have no desire to ever eat them.

"I barely like coffee," she mused popping a couple of Smarties into her mouth.

"Yeah, but does that justify the disgusting claim of saying they're terrible?" he accused her, pointing his unwrapped, half bitten coffee crisp at her. The crumbs fell to the floor and earned a mere chuckle from the Scottish girl.

"Disgusting," she proudly replied.

Callum gasped as he turned his head away, returning his attention to his desk. "I can't even look at you!" he declared.

Rayla rolled her eyes. "Not my fault," she shot back, "I thought your American chocolate would make it taste better but it clearly hasn't."

The artist turned back with a confused stare. "What?"

"Your chocolates taste different," she explained. "Like, for instance, your kit kats taste worse. I dunno how or why, but they just do," she simply shrugged.

Callum blankly stared. "That's a lie. You just want an excuse to hate on Western culture more," he claimed, shaking his head with a laugh. "Chocolate doesn't taste different just because it's being sold on a different continent."

Rayla scowled. "Oh yeah?"

Callum nodded. "Oh yeah."

"Fine," she turned over to her bag and began digging into her front pockets.

Callum's brows rose. "You have _more_ sweets?"

"I like snacking," she muttered as she pulled out a handful of chocolates. It was a wide variety too. Kit Kats, Smarties, Rockets, Aeros; the whole Halloween bag. She picked up a Coffee Crisp and threw it at Callum, smiling in delight as it bounced off his forehead and landed on his lap.

He frowned as he picked it up. "Really?" He scoffed.

"Eat it," she nodded at him.

He rolled his eyes with a shrug. He turned back to his desk and opened his water bottle, taking a quick sip as he sloshed it in his mouth. When Rayla shot him a disgusted look, he laughed. "What? If I'm taste testing I gotta do it right!" he defended, picking up the Coffee Crisp. "How do I know this is really from Scotland? What if you just… infected it or something," he inquired as he skeptically scanned it.

Rayla frowned. "Oh yes. I contaminated that very specific Coffee Crisp for this exact day knowing we'd have this debate, and also managed to re-seal it like a production company." She stared at him with raised brow as she smirked. "Really?" He shrugged. "My dads always sent me treats from home. Along with their own chocolates, because Runaan doesn't like it when Tim eats a bunch of junk so it gives him an excuse to send them to me. Along with other snacks I can't get here in America."

Callum's brows rose thoughtfully. "Oh? Like what?"

"Tablets, wham bars, deep fried mars bars—" she shuddered as her mouth began salvaviting. "Ugh, just… _good_ treats." She frowned as she noticed Callum's face. "Oi, eat your Scotland Coffee Crisp!"

Callum immediately unwrapped his new treat and popped it into his mouth, chewing it with a thoughtful look. Rayla squinted her eyes at his feigned pondering, and after a solid minute, he swallowed a nodded. "Yup."

"Yup what?"

"Yup…" he smiled, "it tastes like a Coffee Crisp." He shrugged. "It doesn't taste different at all!"

Rayla groaned as she threw her head back. "Ugggh, ya just have messed up taste buds!" Callum leaned over and grabbed the very same handful of the Scotland sweets she pulled out. Her eyes widened as she raced to swipe them from his hand. "No, no, no!" she pleaded, "don't eat those ones!"

Callum stared at her as he placed them on his desk, scattered all over his papers. "Ray, they taste the exact same. I'm just testing them out for myself to prove that," he smugly declared as he unwrapped a Kit Kat bar. He broke off a piece and bit into it, chuckling as he chewed. "Tastes like Kit Kat," he declared as he tossed the other bar to Rayla.

She pouted as she munched on it. "Ya're lying…" she muttered.

Callum laughed. "Maybe it's the nostalgia of knowing it comes from home that makes you think they taste different," he said through his chewing.

Rayla sighed. "No, I swear they taste different."

After finishing his sweet, Callum dusted off his hands. He noticed her childish pouted and eased up on his teasing. "Not to me at least," he compromised with a shrug. "How 'bout you share your Scotland treats? Maybe expose an uncultured American to the beauty of European sweets?"

Rayla pondered the notion. "Eh… Da doesn't exactly send much at a time and I only eat them sparingly!" she explained rationally.

Callum blinked at her with skepticism. "You already went through half, didn't you?" he questioned.

She sighed. "More like two-thirds," she corrected. "Next package they send, I'll share, promise!" Rayla placed her right hand over her heart and raised her left.

Callum chuckled as he returned to his desk. His face shifted into confusion as he noticed a strange, pyramid like chocolate wrapped in a silver foil, with a white tag attached. It had blue Helvetica font and said, _Kisses_ on them. He pinched it with two fingers as he turned back to Rayla. "Hey, you've got some here."

She scrunched up her face. "What?"

"This," he shook it in front of her, "_Kisses_," he read, "that's from Scotland, no?"

Rayla's eyes widened as she slowly opened her mouth. "Cal… have ya… _never_ heard of Kisses chocolate before?"

His brows furrowed. "No? Don't think they sell these in America."

Her face grew bewildered as she palmed her forehead. There was _no way_, Callum lived his entire life in the United States whilst also never indulging in the taste of _Kisses_ chocolate before. That was impossible. She opened her mouth, but halted as she witnessed his genuine, innocent confusion. He was serious. He had never had one.

"Ya're serious?" she clarified.

Callum nodded. "Uhh, yeah?"

She clasped her hands together as she stared at the boy. The silenced filled the room, and nothing but a dead atmosphere lingered as Rayla tried to piece her brain back together. The moonlight streamed through the curtains, shining off the very treat Callum seemed to be so enamoured with. As he spun and observed the sweet, Rayla sighed.

"Callum… they sell this here…" she stated.

Callum's face grew surprised. "No they don't," he claimed, "I've _never_ heard of _Kisses_ before."

"No, I swear, they sell it here," Rayla insisted.

He shook his head. "No," he chuckled, "Ray, I'm pretty sure I'd know if they do."

"Well, I knew 'bout Owl City before ya did, so I think things flying under your radar might not be a rarity," she retorted, shrugging with a smirk.

Callum frowned. "Fair point. But there's thousands of pop artists in America, that's understandable." He raised the sweet. "But this? Never heard of it!"

Rayla blinked at him. "Try it," she suggested.

Callum skeptically eyed the piece of candy before shaking his head.

Rayla's brow raised. "What's wrong? Just try it!" she gestured.

The artist seethed. "I dunno," he thoughtfully replied, cupping his chin as he looked at Rayla. "How am I to know that _this_ is safe?" he inquired.

The jock frowned as she uninterestedly stared back. "Are ya implying I'm tryin' to poison ya?"

Callum shrugged. "You said it, not me," he said as he tossed the sweet back into her lap.

Rayla stared at him in shock. She had never heard of someone every refusing a chance to eat chocolate, unless they were allergic or diabetic. She shook her head as she picked up the sweet treat and gestured it to Callum. "Cal, I swear, just try it! Ya'll love it! It's practically childhood candy everyone knows!"

Callum stared with curiosity, as skeptic as ever. "Hmmm, I dunno…"

She immediately unwrapped the wrapper, and motioned the newly naked chocolate toward the artist. He flinched—_literally_, he actually _flinched_ at her sudden action—and backed away in his seat. Rayla merely rolled her eyes as she left her hand out in the open. As if it was some sort of showcase, the moonlight from the dorm window perfectly streamed onto Rayla's unfolded palm, shining off the glistening melted chocolate. She lightly shook her head, tempting her friend to take the bait, to understand that there was no real threat with this treat.

Hesitantly, he maneuvered his fingers over the sweet, forming a pinch with his two fingers and thumb. He hovered over the chocolate, eyes squinting in suspicion, as if it were it blow or something. The idea made no sense to Rayla, but she was happy to see was at least going for it. His fingers pinched the tip of the chocolate, and he slowly brought it over to his face. Time slowed to a crawl—his eyes closed shut as his lips hung ready to receive. They sat there, tantalizingly awaiting for the sweetness to arrive. Soon enough, it brushed against his lips as he dropped it into his mouth, closing tight shut.

Rayla blinked out of her trance as she realized he was finally eating it. What the heck was he doing? Why was he doing it so slowly and cautiously? She watched as Callum thoughtfully chewed the chocolate, nodding his head as he seemingly tried to piece a response. Rayla's eyes lingered on his face. Did he always look so adorable when he was this pensive? And the chocolate glistening off his lips, the framing of his face in this moonlight, he looked…

Her eyes widened as she stopped herself. She was _leaning_ forward. She was practically off his bed and stood right near his face. Callum's thinking seemed to dissipate as he noticed her sudden closeness. He raised a brow. "Uhh, you good Ray?" he questioned.

She nervously laughed as she backed away, brushing her hair behind her ears. "Y-Yeah, I-I'm fine," she nodded. She cleared her throat and awkwardly smiled at him as he eyed her. "I… ya just… got…" she pointed at her lips. The gesture caused her face to flush, whilst Callum's brows rose.

"Ohhh, thanks!" he realized, licking his lips with a smile.

Rayla's gaze averted toward the floor. She _did not_ need to see that. Her eyes soon fell onto her own palm, noticing a small smudge of chocolate from where she was once holding the sweet. "Uh, so, how, um, how was it?" she asked, biting her bottom lip.

Callum seemed to pause for a moment. "Oh, you mean the chocolate?"

"Yes," she nodded. What else?

No seriously, what else?

Callum chuckled. "I think I _have_ had this before!" he exclaimed with a smile. "They remind me of that one chocolate my mom always bought after grocery shopping, what was it called?" He seemed to ponder the riddle within his mind as Rayla raised a curious brow. "Ah hah! Hershey's! That's what they were called, Hershey's chocolate!"

Rayla's face dropped to a blank stare.

Callum noticed and looked at her in confusion. "Ray?" She arched her hand back and smudged the leftover chocolatey residue against his cheek, scowling as he whined. "What was that for?" he complained, desperately attempting to shake off her hand from his cheek.

Rayla smirked in pride as she removed her hand, bringing it up to her lips as she licked her palm. "Just thought ya'd want more kisses."

* * *

_**A/N: And so, the College AU strikes again. Think this is the first time I've done one of my twists with the College AU, but I'm happy with out it turned out! Anyways, next prompt for me is braids, future family AU! Stay tuned, my dudes.**_

_**Until next time,**_

_**\- Bleh**_


	28. Appearance (Month Day 17)

_**A/N: Day 17, braids. It's not really Rayllum, but I love writing future fics. Couldn't resist this story!**_

* * *

_**Chapter Summary: **__There were some thing Callum could do as a father. Cook, clean, tell bedtime stories, you name it. But he also had his limits. Turns out braiding hair was one of them. Future Family AU_

_**Word Count: 2,274**_

* * *

**Appearance**

"Hey Da?"

Callum rose up from his desk, dragging his attention away from his mountainous amount of paperwork and spellbooks. He turned over to the entrance of the office, and raised a brow at the young halfling stood before him. "Yes, Sweetie?"

Isha awkwardly rubbed her arm as she leaned against the doorframe. "Where's Mum?" she quietly asked.

Callum blinked in confusion. He thought the kids knew. "Oh, uh, there was an emergency meeting called in town today. Your mum just needs to hand in some papers is all," he easily explained. "She'll be back in the afternoon."

Isha's face seemed to into disappointment, to which she quickly corrected as she plastered on a smile. "Oh okay," she nodded, "uh, can ya let me know when she gets back?"

Callum's brows raised. "Um, sure. But uh, I can help you too," he smiled as he shifted in his seat. His daughter looked uncomfortable as the notion as she gazed out the window, as if she expected her mother to arrive at the very moment. Callum couldn't help but laugh. "Isha, c'mon," she looked to him, "whatever is, you can tell me. And, we'll handle it together."

Isha bit her lip as she pensively glanced outside once more. "I… I think I can wait…" she insisted. "Ya said she'd be back in the afternoon? I-I can wait!"

Callum frowned. Maybe she wasn't looking outside for Rayla. She was on a time crunch, and she noticed noon was fast approaching. His face contorted into contemplation as he recalled his daughter's schedule. She said she was just going to hang out with friends today. He didn't understand what the issue would be if it counted on waiting for her mother. Nevertheless, he didn't want his daughter to be late or whatever, so it was time he persisted.

"Isha, c'mon, I'm your dad," he proudly claimed, rising out of his seat. He walked over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder reassuringly, kneeling down before the girl. "I'm all ears."

"Nah, really, Da, I-I can wait for mum," she awkwardly chuckled, backing away.

He sighed. "Issy, c'mon, I know you've got plans today," he pointed out, "do you really want to be late?"

Isha's face shifted into a hesitancy. She obviously was contemplating her predicament, weighing out her options before releasing a relenting sigh. "Okay…" she muttered.

Callum beamed. "Great! So," he leaned forward expectantly as he raised a brow at her, "what's the problem?"

Another exhaustive sigh released from his daughter as she glanced up at her father. She bit her lip as she met his gaze, clearly fighting against her instincts. She wanted to tell him something. But something was clearly eating up inside her. "I… I need my…" her voice dropped into a fit of mumbles.

Callum confusedly leaned forward. "What? What was that?"

"I… need my…" she muttered under her breath, "—ded…"

"What?"

Isha glared as she stomped her foot. "I need my hair braided!" she exclaimed.

Callum's brows raised. "Oh?" he uttered. Her daughter had never wanted to do anything with her hair. "Uh… huh… I…" he seethed as he rubbed the back of his head. "You _need_ it braided or _want_ it braided?" he smiled. When he was met with an unamused face, he cleared his throat. "I-I mean, what's the occasion?"

Isha bit her lip. "It's nothing Da… I just… I wanted to look nice for my friends."

Callum smiled. "Sweetie, your friends will love the way you look no matter what! You don't have to put on a face for them…"

She chuckled. "Da, I love your message and everythin', but… I _want_ braids today." She smiled as she tilted her head up at him. "Can I do that?"

Callum took in a deep breath and smiled. "Of course Issy."

::::

In truth, Callum had _no idea_ what he was doing at all. He had _never_ braided hair before. Rayla never asked him to do it for her, as she rarely ever braided her hair. For formal occasions she'd chance the look, perhaps a small braid would do, but she claimed that the look as a whole didn't feel like her, and she liked her short hair the way it was. And Callum did too.

Isha also seemed to embody her mother's taste and kept her hair short and messy for most of her life. She seemed to argue with Rayla on the topic countless times, claiming that she liked her hair the way it was. She seemed to bask in the presence of her disheveled hair. Her split ends and parted frizz atop her scalp sold the idea that she just woke up from a deep slumber. And for a long time, his daughter seemed to love the look.

Until now that is.

Callum had no idea what was the cause for her sudden want in an appearance change. But it certainly set off a few alarms in his head. There was a reason, sure, but he wasn't going to fight his daughter on this because it was clear as a wind spell that she really wanted it. And by all means, he was happy to oblige. The only issue was that the occupants of their household didn't exactly have braiding skills.

Unless Lian or Zeusia had some hidden talents he didn't know about.

"Uhh, Da," Isha spoke up, meeting his concentrated gaze through the reflection of the mirror, "Are ya sure ya know what ya're doing?"

Callum smiled back at his daughter as he ran a comb through her hair. "Yes, Sweetie, I'm sure," he confidently lied. Of course he had no idea what to do. But this was urgent, and if there was one thing Callum's learned over his years of travelling an adventuring, his best self is revealed in times of stress and conflict. Right now his conflict was how much stress this put him under, so it balanced out.

The first thing Callum obviously knew, was to comb his daughter's hair. He'd seen Rayla do it once before. By that, he meant he watched her comb her hair, left the room, then saw her leave with braided hair. So, he was positive the first step was combing. As he ran his fingers through, stroking the comb through her white strands, he smiled. This felt nice.

He hadn't realized his daughter's hair had grown out to her shoulders. But the length seemed suitable enough for a braid, enough for a big one at least. As he combed through, he could feel his daughter's unease, which made him laugh. "Issy, relax, you don't need to be so tense."

Her breath finally released. "Right, right… sorry," she hastily replied. "I guess I'm just nervous."

Callum smirked as he ran the comb through once more. "But not about me, of course," he stated, "probably about who you're doing this for?" his tone peaked into a high suggestive pitch. Once his little halfling realized what he was implying, her eyes widened in shock as she stared at his reflection. Callum merely waggled his brows and smirked.

"How'd ya know!" she asked.

Callum laughed. "Sweetie, nothing makes someone want to do something like this if it wasn't for someone else." He sighed, smiling in content as he put aside her comb. "Now, wanna tell me who this boy is?"

Isha seemed flinch at his words, causing Callum to raise a brow. "I-I already talked to mum 'bout this," she explained, "Ya can ask her."

He cocked his head and chuckled, grabbing his daughter's hair. "What? You don't want your old man to know?"

She rolled her eyes. "Da, it's not that…" she muttered. "Can ya just…"

He nodded. "Fine, fine, I'll drop it," he relented. As he held a handful of her hair, he paused, biting his lip in contemplation. Now, if memory served right, braids had some sort of twisting design. He turned his head, parting his daughter's hair into two sections. Did he just need to twist them together?

::::

"_Ow_!" Isha shrieked, holding her head, "Da, stop!"

"Hang on, hang on," Callum replied. "I… I got this!" he insisted, twirling her hair into another twist for what felt like the umpteenth time. He swore he had, but now her hair somehow managed to knot into itself. He wasn't sure how in the name of Xadia he made this happen, but somewhere along the way he lost himself in all the hair and now it just became a Gordian Knot. He tugged at her hair, gently of course, one last time and sighed. He was stuck. "Ugh… I can't… oh my goodness…"

Isha's frown faded as her eyes widened. "Is your hand stuck?"

Callum froze. "No."

"Then move it," she pleaded, "it's uncomfortable."

"No, I'm not done," he shot back.

"Da, it's fine, I'll do a braid another time—" she moved her head, wincing as she was met with a rough force. "Argh, just let me go!" she whined.

Callum seethed. "But, uh, I-I can do this!"

Her resisting seized as she narrowed her brows at the mirror. "Ya _are_ stuck, aren't ya?"

Her father gasped. "Isha, how dare you! I am perfectly capable of handling this, I would _never_ align myself with such a foolish scenario!" he claimed, standing high and proud.

Isha blinked at him. "Then step away from my hair."

"I… can't."

"I knew it!" Isha exclaimed, "I should've waited for mum!"

"Aww, c'mon, I can…" he pulled and was met with a wail of pain and annoyance. "We'll have to cut it."

"_What_! No! I can't let—I can't be seen practically half _bald_."

"Wait, wait, can't let _who_?"

"That's the concern now Da? Get your hand outta my hair!"

"I'm trying!"

"Try harder!"

"Ugh, sketching braids is so much easier—"

"_Ahem_." The two stopped all bickering and motions as the new voice's presence echoed across the room. They turned and stared, silence holding their mouths shut as Rayla leaned up against the doorframe, arms crossed at the two. "What… I… do I even want to know what's going on?" she tiredly asked, raising a lazy brow.

The two exchanged a glance in the mirror. "I'm…" Callum spoke up, "braiding our daughter's hair?"

Rayla sighed. "Of course ya are," she muttered under her breath. "Callum," she pinched the bridge of her nose, "why are ya tryin' to braid our daughter's hair when ya've _never_ braided hair before?"

"_What_!" Isha shrieked, startling Rayla and causing Callum to wince. "Ya've never done this before?" her daughter asked, "Then why would ya do it for me?"

"Because you looked like you really wanted it!"

"Which is why I would've waited for mum!"

"But you were in such a hurry to meet whoever this boy you like!"

Rayla's brows raised. "Wait, ya haven't told your da yet?" she pointed at Callum, staring at her daughter in confusion.

"How is _that_ important now?" Isha bewilderedly asked. "I'm stuck here? Like, my hair is _literally_ tied up right now!" she screamed, pointing furiously at her head. Callum seemed to flinch more at her claims, which were fairly brought up.

Rayla sighed as she walked over. "Alright, alright, I'll get ya out of this," she muttered.

"Please don't cut my hair," Isha pleaded.

"Relax, Issy, unlike your father, I _know_ what I'm doing." Rayla assured her. A few minutes passed and Rayla managed to free the Archmage's hand and began fixing up her daughter's hair with a comb. "Now, Sweetie, why don't ya _really_ tell your father who this is for?"

Isha took a deep breath as her mother ran her comb through her hair. She looked in the reflection and noticed her father, just over her mother's shoulder, smiling at her. "Farha likes braids. And… she's always sayin' she'd love to see my hair in a braid for once…"

Callum's brows raised. "Farha? Isn't that Ellis' daughter?" he recalled. She was about the same age as Isha. Ellis had gotten pregnant at a young age, but that didn't diminish her resolve when it came to parenting. Farha was a nice young girl from what Callum had remembered from their interactions, she was a great influence on their daughter. "But what does she have to do with this?"

Rayla let out a brief sigh. "_Callum_," she lightly stressed.

His gaze flew down to his daughter, where he noticed her small blush. The puzzle pieces finally connected, and his eyes went wide. "Oh," he softly uttered. He could tell his daughter had been aching this interaction, as her sudden tensing at his momentary pause. He smiled, "Well, braids or not, I'm sure Farha would love your hair whatever way it looks." He walked over to his daughter and knelt beside her. "Don't feel like you gotta change your looks because someone _might _like it. Do what makes you feel comfortable," he advised, gently nudging his elbow against his daughter's.

She smiled at his response, with an obvious wave a relief washing over her. "Thanks Da," she said back, "I'll… I'll keep that in mind. But," she pointed to her head, "I _do_ wanna try the braids."

Callum smiled with a nod. "Sure thing Sweetie," he winked. "I bet you'll still rock 'em not matter what." As he rose up to his feet, he noticed his wife's appreciative smile. So maybe he wasn't good at braiding his daughter's hair, but he knew how to comfort her. He'd take that as win in his book any day.

::::

"Ya're never touching our children's hair again."

"But—"

"Not even the fur on Zeusia's head."

"_Ray_—"

"_Never_."

"Yes ma'am."

* * *

_**A/N: Yeah, again, not really Rayllum, but I really wanted to write more with the kids. If any of you watch ML and are familiar with my work, you know I love writing future fics for the Adrienette pairing in Miraculous. Future fics are fun because you get to take the experience of the characters we all know and love, and place them with the responsibility of parenting! Its's a nice atmosphere to work with and never gets old for me. Plus, I've been meaning to write more Isha! Which, I realized I haven't stated yet, her name is pronounced as Is-ha. Like the word Is, and Ha, combined. And same for Farha. I know, I'm super creative.**_

_**I have no idea how to name fantasy characters, pls forgive me.**_

_**Anyways, next prompt is childhood! A new AU!**_

_**Until next time,**_

_**\- Bleh**_


	29. Childhood (Month Day 18)

_**A/N: **_**_So day 18, childhood. I tried to think of something else, mainly in regards to the Future AU, but I think I wanted ot try a new AU out for a change. So hope y'all enjoy!_**

* * *

_**Chapter Summary: **__So, here's an a completely, totally, original idea. What if? Now hear me out, what if, Rayla and Callum, were childh__ood friends?_

**_Word Count: 1,355_**

* * *

**Childhood**

"Runaan says learnin' to fight is important!" Rayla claimed.

Callum hesitantly gripped onto his wooden blade. "I dunno Rayla," he nervously replied as he rubbed his hands up and down the handle, "I'm not really… good at this."

"Well, duh," she said dumbly. "That's why ya're _learnin'_!" she emphasized, proudly placing her hands on her hips.

The young prince sighed as he looked around them. "Ar-Are you sure about this?" he whispered. "What if we get in trouble?"

"Pfft," the young elf dismissed as she waved her hand. She quickly rushed over to the nearby bench, which consisted of Callum's sketchbook, her bag, and another wooden sword. "Nobody'll know," she assured him. "And besides, they're just trainin' swords! The worst they'll do is splinter your fingers," she teased, wiggling her four digits at the boy as she picked up the spare sword with her free hand.

He frowned. "I'm not sure…"

Rayla frowned back as she narrowed her eyes at the boy. She noticed his gaze lingering near her area, and trained its sight toward the bench. She nodded in realization as she understood what he was looking at. His sketchbook. The one his dad gave him. She smiled as she turned back at him, crossing her arms with a pride. "How 'bout a deal?"

"A deal?" the young step-prince echoed.

"Yeah!" she excitedly cheered. "Ya try this whole sparrin' thing with me, and then ya can show me some of your drawings!"

His face flushed. "O-Oh, we… we don't have to do that."

Rayla frowned. "C'mon, ya rarely let me see them nowadays."

He sheltered his head into his shoulders as he shook his head.

"Callum, c'mon," she whined. "Ya hardly ever wanna spar with me." She stomped her foot. "And I've seen ya do it with your brother!"

Callum sighed. "That's different Rayla, we're play fighting. Just messing around. You know how to fight. I don't—"

"I'm not gonna hurt ya," Rayla immediately interjected. "I'll go easy on ya, and besides, it's trainin'." She stepped onto the courtyard's ring and readied her wooden blade. "I wanna teach ya some moves Runaan taught me!"

"But I don't care about all that," her friend simply replied.

Rayla frowned as she visibly deflated. "But how are ya gonna defend yourself?"

Callum shrugged. "I'll worry about that later. For now, you can protect me!" he teased, pointing his sword at her chest.

She laughed. "Don't be silly. I can't always protect ya!" she argued, "Learn how to fight for yourself!"

Callum pouted. "Can I do that without swords?" His shoulders dropped as he began making his way over to the bench.

"Ooh! And be like, a Mage?" Rayla excitedly suggested.

Callum snorted as he tossed his sword onto the bench. "Don't be silly, humans can't be Mages!" he chuckled. "We don't have Primal connections like you guys do." He sat down and began flipping through his sketchbook.

"Why not!" Rayla pouted as she walked over. "If ya won't try learnin' how to fight using swords, then learn how to use magic!" She waved her fingers around with a smile. "Ya can be the first human Mage!" she shouted, pumping her sword into the air. "C'mon, we'll be a party! Me, the Assassin, you, the Mage!"

Callum's brows raised as a smile dared onto his lips. "Oh! Oh! And we can travel the lands, saving people! Adventurers!"

"Magic Heroes!" Rayla cheered.

"That's a lame name," Callum admitted.

Rayla's shoulders shrunk. "How 'bout… Mystic Marauders?"

The prince's head tilted in confusion. "Aren't marauders bad people?"

"Okay how 'bout _ya_ come up with something then!" she snarked, pointing her wooden hilt at him.

Callum shook his head. "I'm the artist! I'll sketch our adventures!" he declared, already treading his pencil across his sketchbook.

"Does that mean ya'll let me see them?" Rayla excitedly asked, bouncing in anticipation.

Callum glanced up and nodded. "These drawings? Sure!"

"Promise?"

"Promise!"

::::

"I looked through his sketchbook," Sarai suddenly spoke up.

Runaan and Harrow glanced away from their meals and stared at the Queen in shock.

"_Sarai_," Runaan scolded.

"And?" Harrow inquired. When Runaan shot Harrow a look, the King of Katolis simply shrugged. "He's our kid! We gotta make sure!"

"Invasion of privacy," Runaan muttered under his breath, sipping his tea.

"You're occupation literally calls on you to infiltrate private estates!" Harrow incredulously shot back.

Runaan smirked. "But I can recognize when to respect my ward's personal life."

Harrow merely scoffed as he waved off Runaan's judgment. "So, the details?" he excitedly leaned forward.

Sarai chuckled at their contrasted responses. Their back and forthcoming were always a highlight during Runaan and Rayla's visits. "He has _dozens_ of pages of her! Smiling, laughing, posing like a warrior—and they're all so well done! Our young boy is smitten," she proudly swooned.

"I _knew _it!" Harrow whooped, happily slapping his hand against the table. Sarai laughed at his outburst whilst Runaan steadied the teapot. "I knew he was sketching her, I swear I saw once when I walked by! He got so flustered!"

Runaan chuckled as he shot him a look, sipping his tea in delight.

"Oh knock it off, I wasn't spying," Harrow explainer, rolling his eyes. "I just happened across his room and noticed for a split second."

He parted his cup from his lips. "Their quarters are a ways away from anywhere of significance to your regular routine," the Assassin quipped.

"Fine I was spying."

Runaan shrugged with a small smile. "I suppose I can't really be talking. Rayla's been constantly badgering me about the next time we can visit each and every day. At this point I'm nearly convinced we should just stay here!" The three shared in a small fit of laughter. "I think she just likes to show off. He really does swoon at her when she trains. The poor boy doesn't mask his amazement at all. Bodes well for her ego," he mused. His smile grew. "Still, it's nice knowing that even after all that training, he still knows how to make her feel like a kid."

"It's adorable," Sarai commented. "She loves his attention because he gives it openly so easily." She released a content sigh. "And he's been so much more talkative! I think she's boosting his confidence!"

Harrow shot straight out of his seat. "I'm arranging a marriage!"

Sarai groaned, "Not this again."

Runaan chuckled. "Good luck convincing her parents."

"Honey," Sarai patted her husband's arm. "We should probably wait till they're older?"

He nodded with a shocked face. "Of course! I'm not marrying children Sarai! I'm not insane!" he stated as if it was obvious.

The two muttered simultaneously, "Debatable."

Harrow frowned. "I'll arrange it for their sixteenth birthday! They share the same month, it'll be perfect!"

Runaan shook his head as he took another sip. "Shouldn't we wait until their _actual_ feelings come into play?" he suggested. "For now all it may be is that young Callum has a crush!"

Harrow's excitement deflated almost instantaneously. "I suppose you're right," he wisely considered as he sunk back down into his seat. "Still, I've got my fingers crossed!"

Runaan smirked. "As do I, all four," he jested as he raised his free hand.

The two exchanged a fit of laughter as Sarai rose up from her seat, sauntering over to the window sill to peek out into the courtyard. Their children had no idea they all knew they were there. But they were desperately trying to be secretive about their playtime together. Sarai couldn't help but smile at the sight. Rayla was sitting close to Callum, looking over his shoulder as she watched him sketched. She occasionally pointed at his book, no doubt adding her own commentary or opinions on his art. Her son simply nodded along and smiled. Callum suddenly turned and raised his pinky finger at her. Rayla eagerly wrapped hers around his. They shared a nod and laughed, quickly returning to their work. The way they embraced each other's presence so easily, was adorable. Crush or not, Sarai knew they had chemistry.

And a darn good childhood in store.

* * *

_**A/N: **_**_ Sorry for all the delays! I had really hoped I would've caught up at least one day behind by Sunday, but I really slacked this weekend. Anyways, I'll try to keep up the quality you all enjoy! And I'm grateful everyone's stuck around! _**

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_**Review Responses:**_

_**Griff-FanFic1933: **Love all your reviews! And appreciate your love for the AU! And yeah, the summary kinda gave away what to expect. I'm glad you could relate to my Dreams oneshot, it was fun to write because as I said, I had my own turmoil going on too._

**_SassySapphire:_**_ Rayla's knitting struggles are my fave headcanon for her. And of course, expect the unexpected! When have I ever delivered on proper prompt expectations? Sorry not sorry. Love your reviews!_

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**_Next prompt is Secrets! _**

**_Until next time,_**

**_\- Bleh_**


	30. Secrets - Childhood AU (Month Day 19)

_**A/N: Day 19 - Childhood. Yeah, I made another one a lot sooner than expected. But I had fun. So... enjoy**_

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_**Chapter Summary: **__Rayla didn't know why Callum stopped showing her his sketches. She also didn't know why everyone else seemed to know what they were. Maybe it's time she asked. Childhood AU._

_**Word Count: 1,766**_

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**Secrets**

"Hey Runaan," a young Rayla addressed.

The older Moonshadow Elf seized his training, halting mid swing, and turned around to look at his student. "Yes Rayla?"

"Do ya think Callum doesn't like me anymore?"

His brows flew up in shock. "What? That's absurd! Of course he does! Why would the young prince think otherwise of you?" he inquired.

Rayla sheepishly rubbed her arm. "I dunno. He doesn't like showing me his sketchbook anymore."

Runaan's face contorted into confusion. "What? How is that relevant?" He sheathed his swords behind his back and crossed his arms.

"Before, he'd let me look through it myself!" Rayla explained. "He always just handed it to me and said, 'Ya can look. Have fun!' And I would!" She smiled. "But now? He's been so secretive 'bout it. And everytime I ask him he just says no. He only shows me when he's sketching something we just talked 'bout. But he won't let me see his other drawings."

Runaan's expression shifted. The very same drawings Sarai told them about the other day. That made sense. Rayla's brows rose, obviously making note of his face's change. "Oh, uh," he casually shrugged, "Maybe he's shy. He's usually reluctant to show his work, is he not?" he lightly suggested.

Rayla shook her head. "Not with me! He always shows me first!" she proudly stated.

Runaan smirked. "Because he trusts you," he concluded, kneeling down before her. He placed his hand on her hair and ruffled it lightly, much to her refusal. "I'm sure Prince Callum has a good reason. And in time, he will share it with you."

Rayla's face squinted into suspicion.

Something was up.

::::

"Ahh, young Rayla!" Harrow greeted upon crossing her paths within the hallways of the castle. "How was your training session with Runaan?"

Rayla shrugged. "It was fine. Nothing new."

Harrow smirked. "I assume you're off in a hurry to find Callum? He's in his room last I heard."

"I was actually on my way to ya, King Harrow!" Rayla innocently corrected.

Harrow's brows raised. "Really? What for?"

"I had somethin' to ask ya," she answered.

The idea of Rayla inquiring about his son's hand in marriage flashed across the King's mind, but he shook off his fantasies. "Oh? And what is it?" he smiled.

"What's Callum hiding from me?" she bluntly asked.

The King's brows rose. "Wh-What?"

"Callum, he's hiding somethin' from me," Rayla explained, crossing her arms, "he won't let me see his sketchbook anymore and Runaan won't tell me why!"

Harrow's confusion faded into worry. So now he was stuck with this. He mentally sighed—after all that bragging, Runaan dropped the ball and now Harrow's left to clean up. He cleared his throat as he knelt down to Rayla, matching his eye level with hers. He could lie to a child. He was a king, putting on an act was simple and required the most sleek and clever minds. He could handle this.

"Well uh...he… is shy!" Harrow concluded. "Yes! He's just shy. Perhaps. Maybe he is shy of his new drawings and isn't ready to show you!"

Rayla pouted as she soaked in his words. "But," she thoughtfully looked up at him, "he _always_ shows me his new drawings. He likes doing that. He's never had a problem with it before! So something must be up!" the young elf declared. "And I'll get to the bottom of it!" she triumphantly shouted.

"Oh, I uh—" the King's words died in his mouth as he watched the Assassin-in-training race off, darting down the corridors.

It turned out he wasn't as smart as he thought.

::::

The sudden knocking at the door of the study startled Sarai. She glanced up from her book and raised a brow at the noise. Attempting to compose herself, she cleared her throat. "Um, come in?" she suggested. The door creaked open a crack and soon enough a set of small horns poked through, with an adorable head of white hair and a wide smile. Sarai couldn't help but chuckle at the sight. "Ahh, Rayla!"

"Afternoon Queen Sarai!" she greeted. "I hope I'm not botherin' ya!"

"Nonsense my dear," Sarai assured her, patting down the book on the table. "Just some light reading is all. How can I help you? Are you looking for Callum?" she inquired with a pitch, raising some sly brows at the young elf.

She merely pouted as she stepped into the room, lightly stomping her feet as she did so. She was upset. "No…" she sadly said. "I just wanna know what's wrong with him."

Sarai's eyes went wide as her maternal instincts kicked in. "Something's wrong with Callum?" she harshly whispered.

Rayla seemed put off by her shock, and shyly shrugged. "I think so. I think Runaan and Harrow know what's wrong but nobody's tellin' me for some reason!"

Sarai switched into confusion. "What?"

"Callum doesn't let me see his sketches anymore!" Rayla whined. "And he gets so flakey 'bout it too. It makes no sense!" she complained. "He shys away from it so much I'm starting to think I did somethin' wrong."

Sarai smiled at the young elf. Bless this poor girl's heart. "Aww, Rayla," she softly spoke, "you did nothing wrong my child." She rushed over to the elf, kneeling down as she embraced her in a quick hug. As she pulled away she met her eyes. "Callum's just… really private about his drawings. Perhaps it's 'cause these latest ones mean much more to him than the others? He might feel more of a personal attachment to them, so he's more shy about it."

Rayla pondered her response, still holding her pout. "Hmm," she skeptically said. "But I've seen _all_ his drawings! Personal, funny, or whatever! He's always showed me! And I want to see them!"

Sarai chuckled. "I know you do, but keep in mind to respect his privacy," she lightly advised. "If he's not ready to show you—"

"Then I take it from him when he's not looking!" Rayla interjected, eyes bulging with excitement. "Yes!" she cheered.

The Queen's face shifted into horror. "Now, now—"

"Just like Runaan taught me!" Rayla proudly declared. "I stick to the shadows, blend, observe, and attack!" she shouted, hopping into the air. "But instead of attacking I just take his book!"

"Now Rayla—"

"Thanks Queen Sarai! Ya've been a real help!" she hurriedly urged as she sped out of the room.

Sarai sighed. This was definitely not going too end well.

::::

Rayla knew how to be stealthy. Granted, she was only eight and a half, but in all the time she's been training and learning, she understood the basics. And the basics were enough to get her close to Callum. To catch him off guard. She knew how to blend into her surroundings. How do disappear. How to be one with the shadows. How to be silent as a whisper. She knew how to be an Assassin. This time? Her target wasn't death. No, it was thievery.

And her plan was foolproof.

With an excited and hearty bounce, Rayla skipped toward the bench where callum was sat. As typical, he was sketching. His attention flew upward in a panic as he noticed she was approaching, leaving him to shut his but instantly. "Hi-hi Rayla!" he nervously greeted.

Rayla grinned. "Hi Callum!" she chirped. "How's your afternoon been?"

"Good, good," he nodded, "just… sketching." He shrugged. "How was training?" he smiled.

Rayla shrugged. "Oh, nothin' new. Just—oh my goodness!" she suddenly shouted.

Startled, Callum flinched his whole body as he exclaimed, "What? What is it!"

"I dunno somethin' over there!" she pointed over his shoulder.

"Huh?" Callum whipped his head around instantly.

Immediately, Rayla darted for the book in his hands, swiping it away and triumphantly running back a few feet. Of course, all the while cheering, "Ah hah! Ha ha! I did it!"

It happened so fast Callum's reaction was merely a few seconds delayed. "Hey give it back! Don't look!" he shouted, racing after the girl.

The two launching into a circular battle—_literally_. Rayla began running around the courtyard, whilst Callmu gave chase, sprinting after her as she flipped through the pages. Sure enough, the boy's worry increased with every passing second as she turned each page. Eventually she'd—

"Wow, are these me?" She came to a stop.

A very sudden stop.

It caused Callum to collide into her and sent them both to the ground. Thankfully, the book cushioned Rayla's face (and was unharmed too) and Callum fell on top of her, also free from harm. He rolled off and simply fell onto his back beside her, lightly releasing a groan.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah? Ya?"

"I'm fine. Sorry about that."

"It's fine," she shrugged as she turned over and sat up. "Sorry I stole this, but I _had_ to see! And everyone around here has been so secretive I wanted to know what's up!" She turned the page and showed him. It was two pages, both filled with sketches of Rayla's faces, laughing, smiling, pouting, nearly every expression. "If ya were embarrassed to show me these, ya didn't have to be."

Callum's eyes went wide. "Really?" he quietly asked.

"Yeah! I think these are pretty cool! Accurate too!" she complimented with a genuine smile. "I can see ya're getting better with hair!"

The artist blushed as he averted his gaze. "No, no, they're not… they're not that good," he shyly whispered.

Rayla scoffed. "Duh," she bumped his elbow, "that's because ya've been sketching them without me!" His eyes lit up. "C'mon, let's do one now! I'll pose!"

Callum's face shifted into excitement as he eagerly nodded. "Yes, yes! C'mon, I know the perfect spot!" The two rushed out of the courtyard, completely oblivious to the three adults lurking at the windows above.

"They're… they're oblivious!"

"They're children Harrow," Runaan reminded him, "You can't expect so much of them."

"Funny coming from either of you," Sarai chided lightly crossing her arms at them. They merely stared at her in confusion. "Rayla practically danced around you guys so easily, you essentially helped her!"

They glanced at each other, then simultaneously shrugged.

"Runaan, remind me again who gave Rayla the idea to steal from Callum?"

"Ahh, I believe it was our dear Queen?"

Sarai rolled her eyes. "Knock it off," she warned, "I can kick both your butts with one hand." She raised a finger at the two, silencing their smirks. Satisfied, she turned out the window. "Well, it's no secret they like each other. That's for sure."

* * *

**_A/N: I had delays because I had plans all day for the 23rd, and well, I kinda wanted to make this one into another Childhood after I saw all the positive responses. And because I thought it'd be fun! And because my other ideas were kinda... lame? eh, it's not important._**

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**_Review Responses:_**

_**1228248: **Ask and you shall receive! This has been real fun to write, so hope you like this one too!**  
**_

_**Griff-FanFic1933: **Oh you best believe childhood best friends Rayllum are gonna get into some mischief. No doubt about it. The whole chill and niceness of it, is kinda the theme I wanted to give! Like, let's just let kids be kids!_

**_SassySapphire: _**_The adorableness of this is what really sold it for me to start a new AU for the collection. It didn't occur to me until near the end that I realized, I could write Sarai for once, AND have her with Harrow AND Runaan, just chilling and having a chat. It makes sense that they'd all be good friends in their off time. _

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_**Next prompt is hurt... yeah...**_

_**Until next time,**_

_**\- Bleh**_


	31. Hurt (Month Day 20)

_**A/N: Day 20 - hurt. Relax, nothing too heart wrenching.**_

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_**Chapter Summary: **__It's easy to hurt the ones you love. It's hard to express that hurt wasn't intentional. It's hard to grasp why you even hurt them in the first place. But none of that matters. All that matters, is how you piece it back together._

_**Word Count: 1,657**_

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**Hurt**

He doesn't even remember what started it. Callum just knew that the whole thing was stupid. What he said, what she said, all of it. None of it made sense. Everything erupted into an avalanche of arrogance and emotions. She said things. He said things. They both shouted. The main similarities at the end, were how much it _hurt_. He had been looking for words to hurt her, looking for any semblance of something that could just sting. And it worked.

"_I'm not a coward like you! Like your parents were…"_

He closed his eyes as he felt the stinging pain of tears rising within them. He hadn't meant it. He just wanted to _hurt_ her. He wanted her to feel bad for attacking him so offhandedly. He wanted to win… whatever it was they were slapped in the middle of. An argument, a conversation, a disagreement; a mere exchange of words that seemed to fall on deaf ears from both parties. Regardless of what either thought it was, it didn't matter.

It didn't matter because they were blinded by their emotions.

"_What kind of girlfriend are you?"_

It didn't matter because they were still slinging their scars.

"_What? Nothing else to say? Sure… keep more secrets from me why don't you."_

It didn't matter because _they_ didn't exist in that moment.

_"I thought we built this relationship on trust?"_

They were two separate people, looking to _hurt_ each other.

Callum's hands fisted the bed sheets. He was sat by himself, in a dimly lit room. He let go of his struggles, allowing his tears to stream down without hesitation. There was no point. He had no reason to act like nothing _hurt_. She left. He broke them. He ruined everything. All because of some dumb pride. All because he felt like he was weak. All because he was so damn stupid.

He palmed at his face, quietly sobbing into his hands. It overflowed with droplets of tears, soaking his gloves with his sadness. He could briefly hear Zym in the corner, whimpering too. The poor dragon probably had no idea what to do. Or what would happen to him now. Callum didn't either.

Callum didn't get why they fought. He didn't get why she said what she said. He didn't understand why he didn't just shut up and let things fly past. He just said something. Then somewhere along the way, trust was called into question.

"_Why don't ya trust me?"_

He sniffled, swallowing hard on his tired throat. The shouting _hurt_ him. The crying _hurt_ him. She _hurt _him. She knew it too. Because those words would mean nothing if it hadn't come from her mouth. And she used that against him.

But of course, he had his own cards dealt in this game. He tossed his own set of matches to the fire and let it spread, he let it engulf them. He was no better.

In fact, he was worse.

::::

She doesn't even remember how it started at first. Rayla just knew that the whole thing was dumb. What she said, what he said, all of it. Everything that happened made no sense at all. They just, combusted into a combination of anger and ignorance, completely revolving around their stupid feelings. He said things. She said things. And they both yelled. In the end, it all boiled down to one thing: it _hurt_. She was searching for ammunition to egg him on, to just kick him down some more pegs. And it worked.

"_Why are ya actin' like this! Ya can't do anythin'!"_

Rayla choked back on her tears, wiping away the ongoing stream strolling down her cheeks as she walked. She was barely down the block, but she left as soon as she could. She hadn't meant anything she said. She just wanted him to shut up. She just wanted him to listen for once, to stop… whatever it was they had suddenly sparked. Rayla just wanted it done with so they could move past it. And focus on the mission. But the mission wasn't as important.

It wasn't as important as their feelings.

"_Forget about us for a bit. Our mission is what's important!"_

It wasn't as important as their buried baggage.

"_Of course, because ya still don't seem to trust elves!"_

It wasn't as important as their insecurities.

"_I can do this. I don't need ya."_

With a shout, Rayla drew her fist into the nearest wall, creating a crater in the wooden support of the shop. She stepped back a few feet, attempting to regain her composure. She swallowed back on her tears, regretting the stinging sensation of her throat's pains. She massaged her knuckles, not even feeling the pain what with all the adrenaline pumping through her. She humorlessly laughed. She didn't need to act tough anymore. How could she after everything? After all that _hurt_ her. He gave up. She broke him. All because of her own worries. All because she lacked faith. All because she was just being an idiot.

Rayla's back went up against the wall, she fruitlessly attempted to wipe away her tears, letting her sobs echo throughout the alleyway. She didn't care about being heard. She glanced at her wrists and scoffed. Perhaps it would have been better if she did lose her hands. Maybe then things would have been different, better for them. Better if she just left, so she didn't screw up another mission.

Rayla didn't know why they fought. She didn't understand why he said what he said. She couldn't grasp why she just didn't stop herself from making things worse. But she just had to fight back. Then after that, their trust was shattered.

"_Do you really think I'm useless?"_

A frustrated sigh escaped from Rayla as she grabbed at her hair furiously. The yelling _hurt_ her. The sobbing _hurt_ her. He _hurt_ her. And he knew it too. Because none of what he said would've meant anything if hadn't come from him. And he was using it against her.

Obviously, she had a hand in all of this too. She also pitched her own batch of fuel into the hate furnace, she let it scorch their hearts. She was not any better.

In fact, she was worse.

::::

Just as Callum stepped outside the room, he was met with Rayla's face. She had her fist up, looking as if she was about to knock on the door. Startled, the two stepped back from each other, launching into a fit of apologies.

"I'm, I'm sorry—"

"I'm sorry about that—"

They both stopped, eyes wide as they met. Raylu spoke first.

"About almost bumpin' into me… or…"

"Both," Callum answered. "I'm…" he took a deep breath, "so, _so_ sorry Rayla."

The tears that dance across his eyes hit her heart with a pang of guilt. Immediately, she pushed him into the room, closing the door shut behind them before embracing him with her tired arms. "Why…" she whispered, "why are _ya_ sorry? I'm the one—"

"We both said things," he whispered into her hair.

She sniffed, just realizing the rising pressure of tears building within her eyes. She held him tighter. "But I… we…" she had no idea what to say.

Callum just nodded against her shoulder. "I know. I know," he softly said. He really didn't know much about what they could say. Just what they both regretted. "I… I'm sorry," he repeated, "I'm so sorry for being so… _stupid_."

Rayla nodded back, still holding onto him. She was just too scared to let go. "I'm sorry too. I'm so sorry I… I never meant to…" she choked back on her tears. "I'm sorry…"

They shared in a sniffle as pulled their heads away, leaning their foreheads into a soft touch. Their sweat entangled within one another, and their eyes just an inch away. The clarity of how many tears they had shed, the pain of their tired lips from all the shouting, the agony of their faces told everything.

"I will _always_ trust you," he told her, "You've always had my trust."

She never doubted him for a second.

"I _never_ thought ya were weak," she told him, "I know ya're strong."

He knew she believed in him.

"I know you… you didn't mean it," he told her, "I know you didn't mean any of it."

He had to remind her.

"I know ya didn't either," she told him, "I… I know ya didn't mean any of those words."

"I'm so sorry I _hurt_ you," he whispered. His hands trailed up to her cheeks, keeping her close, steady. He wasn't letting go this time.

"I'm sorry I _hurt_ ya," she whispered. Her hands embraced his face, soaking in his warmth, his presence. She was going to stay.

"I…"

"I—"

They stopped. Biting back on their words, the rising revelation of apologies, and stared at each other. His emerald eyes shined into her eyes. Her violet gaze burrowed into his sight. They stared. They knew. Leave this for tomorrow. Leave it for later. Leave it for when they weren't drenched in stressful sweat and painful tears. For now, they just wanted to together. With another embrace, the two burrowed their bodies into each other, soaking in their warmth. Arms firmly wrapped around, they held each other with a passion. No one was daring to ever let go. Not for a second.

Neither really knew where to begin. Of course they wouldn't. Everything beforehand was a series of unleashed emotions, no pulled punches through blind eyes. They _hurt_ each other. It was obvious. And that type of _hurt_ wasn't something they could mend with words in one night. But it didn't mean it was all ruined. It didn't mean they were broken. It didn't mean they hated each other. It just was a step forward.

Despite all the _hurt_, only together, could they _heal_.

* * *

_**A/N: I didn't want to make an argument. Because I felt like those types of fics have been done to death and to be honest, that wasn't what was important here. I just felt like, creating a soft hurt where nothing mattered. It doesn't matter if one of them said something painful, or said something that dealt a low blow, because if they still made the effort to apologize, then that's what counts. Hurt is good. Hurt means you heal. I never liked the idea of hurt breaking something apart. I just wanted to make it change something is all. No muss, no fuss. A good relationship always gets better in spite of the hurt. Of course, feel free to disagree with the way I handled this story. Just my take. **_

**_ANYWAYS, so uh, awkward note, for day 12, "What Embrace Means to Me" there was a second segment missing from the post! Only here on FFN, so... that was awkward when I just learned about it. It doesn't exactly make the whole better or like, I dunno, do much? But it completes the oneshot, so I just wanted to let y'all know that it's been updated._**

_**Next prompt is Aged Up. Funnily enough, not a future AU. ;)**_

_**Until next post,**_

_**\- Bleh**_


	32. Refined Taste - Childhood AU Month Day21

_**A/N: Day 21, Aged Up. And of course, I do the exact opposite...**_

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_**Chapter Summary: **__Over all her visits, Rayla's been slowly accustoming herself to human culture. But, nevertheless, there were still things that struck her as completely odd. Humans are weird. Childhood AU._

_**Word Count: 1,427**_

* * *

**Refined Taste**

Rayla was exhausted. Who knew three hours of training would be so tiring? Runaan was pushing her this time. He said just because they were visiting Katolis, it didn't mean they could relax on their training. Rayla didn't mind of course. She was excited to learn some new things from her mentor. And even more excited that Callum was watching as well. And even more, _more_ excited they were going to have lunch right after. But, three hours was a long time.

So she understood why Callum would excuse himself early. But that didn't mean she'd let him off the hook that easily. So that was why she was on a mission to track him down.

But of course, she couldn't find him.

Runaan said he heard him mumble something about his room. King Harrow said the courtyard—but didn't specify which one, so Rayla checked all of them. And Queen Sarai said she heard he was hungry so the dining hall. And of course, it was then she realized none of them had actually _seen_ him. They were just guessing.

So Rayla stomped around with a pout. Annoyed as ever. Until, she happened across the kitchen corridors, where noticed a familiar red scarf as she passed by. She halted in her tracks and peeked around the corner of the door frame.

It was Callum alright. He was sitting at the kitchen counter, smiling with delight as he munched on some sort of food. He looked like Queen Sarai whenever she had a plate of jelly tarts. Rayla growled as she marched in.

"Hey! ya've got some nerve!" she shouted, marching in.

Callum's eyes went wide as they darted toward the door. "Rayla!" he exclaimed.

"Ya ditch me during training! And when I tried to find ya so we can eat lunch together, I go on some wild chase for over an hour!" she complained, throwing her hands up with a glare, earning a wince from him. "And then I find ya, just sat here, eating this… this… what is this?" she asked.

Callum's chewing stopped as his guilt faded into confusion. "What? You don't know what this is?" he asked, holding up the block in his hand.

Rayla stared at it, bewildered. It looked like it was rotten. "That looks like it went bad months ago," she noted wincing at how Callum effortlessly swallowed his food. He had a plate beside these blocks of old food, which were filled with toast.

"Well, it did," he replied.

Rayla's eyes went wide. "What?"

"I mean, technically, it _did_ go bad," Callum smirked.

Rayla stepped forward as she placed a hand on Callum's forehead, feeling up his temperature. "Are, are ya sick? Did ya eat somethin' bad for breakfast?" After feeling not extreme heat against his forehead, Rayla grabbed both his cheeks and stared into his grass green eyes. "Your eyes look fine. Are ya okay?"

Callum laughed, trying to shake his head out of Rayla's hands. "Ray, Ray, I'm _fine_."

She squished his cheeks as she leaned closer. "Callum, rotten food _isn't_ food. It's bad!" she whispered with urgency. "I'm taking ya to the Doctor—" before she could leave, Callum grabbed both her wrists with a laugh.

"No, no, no, Rayla, I'm serious," he smiled, turning her back to him. "I was just eating some moldy cheese."

Rayla stood there. Blinked. Then opened her mouth. What was he going on about? "Uh… what… do ya understand what's wrong with that sentence?" she asked with a bewildered face.

Callum bit back on his chuckles, rising Rayla's rage. What was so funny about her being concerned for his well being? He was insane! "No, Rayla, this," he lifted up the block of disgustingness, "is Bleu Cheese."

Her head tilted in confusion. "But it's… white?" she pointed out in befuddlement.

Callum smirked. "No, no, it's… that's just the name. I… don't know why, but it is!" he quickly explained. "And uh, this type of cheese specifically, actually tastes good when it molds," he smiled, raising it up once more. "It's like… better. So it's better when it goes bad."

Rayla's face dropped into horror. "Ya do realize the words that's coming out of your mouth… right?"

Callum laughed as he shook his head. "Okay, okay, I'm not explaining this right, but basically, this is okay to eat!" he assured her. "I like eating this with toast! It's nice!" he gestured to the aforementioned plate, "it's not bad at all." He held it out to her. "Try it!"

Rayla's eyes widened more as she backed away. "_What_!" she yelped. "No, no, no, no, _no way_!" she rapidly muttered. "Callum, I'm taking ya to the Doctor, because ya're clearly not thinking straight with all the food poisoning."

Callum scoffed as he rolled his eyes. He took her hand and embraced it. "Rayla, I'm serious! This is a thing humans do!" He looked up in thought. "I'm pretty sure it was the Kingdom of Duren that first discovered this… technique. Trust me, it's safe!" he smiled, raising the block of death food up to his mouth.

Rayla screamed, "_No_!" And whacked the food poison out of her best friend's hands, sending straight into the furnace gates. She stared at Callum in shock. "Are ya crazy!"

Callum sighed. "Rayla, why'd you do that!" he whined. "It was a good block of cheese too!" he groaned as he reached for _another_ block of cheese? Rayla instantly slapped his hand. "Ow, what're you doing?"

"What're _ya_ doing!" she questioned. "How are ya not getting how dangerous this is!" She grabbed his hand. "We're going to the Doctor, _now_." Callum grabbed at the table, attempting to weigh himself down as his best friend pulled him away. "_Callum_… we need… to… _leave_!" she urged through her gritted teeth.

Callum furiously shook his head as he grabbed onto another block of cheese. "Rayla, c'mon!" he said in annoyance, raising the cheese to his mouth. "Let me… explain—"

"No, stop!" she reached for it but Callum immediately ducked.

He rolled underneath the table and popped up on the other side. "Ah hah!" he triumphantly exclaimed. "Now, let me explain!"

Rayla's eyes narrowed as she hopped onto the table. With determination laced within her face, she pointed at the corrupted cheese in his hands. "This clearly has _poisoned_ ya! And I will save ya Callum!"

"Wait, wait—" his words died in his throat as Rayla decided to act.

By acting, she jumped onto him, holding him in a vice grip as she started slapping the cheese out of his hand. Repeatedly, she shouted, "This is for your own good!" Callum still seemed so protective of it. It must've been corrupted with some Dark Magic of some sort. Rayla needed to save him. And so their battle began. His profuse pleading about preserving the food, went by Rayla's determined mission to save him.

And with one final swipe, the plate of moldy cheese flew out off the table and onto the ground.

She was a hero.

::::

"So… it's just… aged up cheese?" Rayla inquired with a curious tone.

Sarai nodded with a smile. "Yes! It's… it's quiet soft and chewy. And I promise," she pushed the plate toward the young elf, "It's safe to eat."

Rayla glanced down the table. To her right, sat Callum, with an eager and motivation smile, nodding her along. Her left, sat Runaan, smiling at her with amusement whilst King Harrow was sat at the head of the table. With hesitation, Rayla slowly picked up her fork and took off a piece of the supposedly safe cheese. Queen Sarai said it was safe. And she trusted her.

With a smile, Rayla shoved the piece into her mouth.

And regretted it.

After two bites, she noticed that… it was not as good as she thought it was. And it was also because, well, she didn't exactly like cheese. She might've forgotten all that in the heat of all the discussion. Her face scrunched up in disgust, which was well noticed by the rest of the table. Sarai wore a look of worry, whilst the men shared in their sympathies and winced at her. Rayla turned to Callum who merely chuckled.

"Forgot you didn't like cheese, eh?" he teased, nudging her with his elbow. "Now you know how I feel about your _moonberry_ juice."

That was well deserved payback.

Rayla forced a smile. With a mouthful, she said, "Ya want the rest?" Callum's face lit up. And Rayla slid the plate over without hesitation.

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**_A/N: And that was that! I think I've done enough future stuff-with or without the Rayllum family around-and since everyone really likes it, I decided to do this for the Childhood AU. It's fun to write, and well, this was a fun idea I came up with as soon as I heard Aged Up._**

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**_Review Response:_**

**_Sassysapphire: _**_Literally you JUST asked, and JUST received! Ha, glad you love these little scamps! _

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_**Next prompt is Proposal!**_

_**Until next time,**_

_**\- Bleh**_


	33. Proposals - College AU (Month Day 22)

_**A/N: Day 22, proposal. Because why would I do what you expect?**_

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_**Chapter Summary: **__Rayla & Callum are no strangers to the concept of love, but have they really given it much thought? Another late night studying session, another day of learning new things. College AU._

_**Word Count: 2,047**_

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**Proposals**

Another late studying session. Another night filled with junk sweets and blissful silence. Callum was focused on his latest lit paper, completely devoted to finishing his essay before they called it a night. Rayla reminded him that he had time, but Callum wanted it out of the way as soon as possible. Rayla didn't exactly have anything to study for per se, but was rather going over some of her Philosophy notes. She claimed that it was a thing she did regularly, but Callum teased that she was just wanted an excuse to spend time at his dorm.

Not that he was complaining of course.

Callum's learned to love the jock's presence a lot more over their time together. Her taste in art nearly matched his, as well as her intellect and understanding. Her taste in food kinda paralleled his at times, her disliking of Coffee Crisps and consistent need to badger American cuisine sold her stance on it multiple times. And her taste in music? It was actually really nice. She always had a soft spot for the classics, _The Beatles_, _The Eagles_, _ABBA_, _Bee Gees_, and all those lovely revolutionary artists. But of course, she also had a knack for the modern pop artists.

Callum never really indulged with the modern pop, or rather, never really bothered to listen to anyone religiously. But that didn't mean he was uncultured.

"Ya didn't know who Owl City was," Rayla had remarked.

Callum rolled his eyes. "Okay, but like, they're one hit wonders."

A breathy gasp erupted from the girl laid out on his bed. He turned around and found her staring at him, appalled. "Callum, Callum, Callum," she shook her disappointedly. "Ya poor uncultured swine."

The artist rolled his eyes and returned to his paper. He had thought the argument died then and there, until Rayla spoke again.

"Ya do know other artists… right?" she asked.

Callum snorted. "Yes, Rayla, I do in fact, know other artists."

"Okay, but like… aside from Taylor Swift," she brushed off. "Like, it's hard to not know her." She thoughtfully rose up from her spot and sat cross legged atop his bed. "Oh! Ya know Drake right? Kinda hard not to with all those memes of him—"

"Yes, I know Drake," he uninterestedly replied.

Rayla pursed her lips as she stared at the boy with skepticism. "Oh! How 'bout I play one of my playlists? Ya can tell me the name of the artist!"

He lifted his head and turned back at her. "Do I win anything out of this?"

"If ya know more than five," Rayla explained, "Ya'll prove that ya _do_ know artists!"

He frowned.

"Okay, fine, I'll buy ya a whole pack of Coffee Crisps." A smile crept upon her lips as she threw him a pointed finger. "And if ya can guess the name of the song, I'll throw in a Kit-Kat."

He thoughtfully considered the deal. "Make the bonuses some of your Scottish chocolates and you have a deal."

Rayla pouted. "Fine."

And of course, as things usual with the two, their focus from their schoolwork diminished and was quickly replaced with a new task. But even then, the new task hadn't even lasted as long as Rayla would've hoped. The first song played, and with an eager smile, she watched as Callum closed his eyes and delved into deep thought.

_It's a beautiful night_

_We're looking for something dumb to do_

_Hey baby, I think I wanna marry you_

"_Marry You_!" Callum shouted. "Bruno Mars. I like this one."

Rayla rolled her eyes. "Well that was easy."

_Well, I know this little chapel on the boulevard we can go_

_No one will know_

"I always found this one real catchy," he said as he began swaying his head. Rayla snickered at his grooving, "It's got a nice tune to sing along to."

Rayla nodded. "Yeah, I like a lot of Bruno Mars' old stuff."

Callum agreed, "Same. This and _Just The Way You Are_, are my favourites by him."

_And we'll go, go, go, go, go_

_If you're ready, like I'm ready_

A smirk grew on his lips. "You ever watch those proposal videos?"

Rayla's eyes lit up as she excitedly nodded her head. "Yeah! With all those people doing flash mobs or singing?" she clarified with a grin. When Callum nodded, the joy spread all around as she released a content sigh. "Man, those are so cute to watch! Especially the flash mobs."

"Yeah, the pre-chorus and chorus makes for a good dance," Callum pointed out, "There's a nice flow of rhythm and with the lyrics too."

Rayla's brows raised. "Do ya dance?" she inquired with an excited tone.

Callum laughed as he shook his head. "No, no, god no, I can't dance. My uh, little brother dances. He's done a lot of Bruno Mars songs."

"Oooh, cute, does he have a YouTube? I'll like, comment, and subscribe," she teased, shaking her phone at him. She began to flip through her device, as if she was attempting to find the next song.

Callum rolled his eyes. He wasn't going to say yes, because that was a topic for another time.

_I'll go get a ring, let the choir bells sing, like ooh_

_So what you wanna do?_

"Have you ever thought about proposing?" he suddenly asked.

It seemed like by accident, but the song had suddenly paused. Rayla's head shot up from her phone as she wore wide eyes. "Wh-What?" she sputtered, red in the face.

"I mean, like, the way everyone does those videos," he explained. He had no idea what happened, but he wasn't going to question it. She might've just seen something on her phone. "Like, there are couples out there who're comfortable posting that out for the world and even having the public see this, grand spectacle of their love. But, there are also people who prefer nice and quiet scenery. Low key, and personal."

Rayla slowly nodded, her face now mellowing as she smiled. "Right, right. I mean. Yeah, I get ya." She released a strained laugh. "I uh, I dunno, I haven't really given it much thought."

Callum quirked his brows. "Seriously? Don't little girls usually dream about that sorta thing?" He quickly raised his hands once he met her stern glare. "Not that I'm stereotyping. It's just… I, nah I got nothing. Sorry."

Rayla chuckled. "It's fine, don't worry 'bout it," she waved off. "And besides, how can I worry or concern myself with things like that when I was off learning how to play football."

Callum chewed his lip. "Right, yeah…" he frowned. "Well, you ever give it a thought?"

She shrugged. "Nah, can't say that I have."

He raised a brow. "Seriously? You've never thought about that special moment? How one day, your significant other will just… wow you?" he stated in a dramatic undertone, waving his hands with pizazz.

She snorted as she shook her head, much to Callum's disappointment. "Nope. 'Fraid not."

He sighed. "Does that just mean you don't really care? Like, about how they would propose or proposals in general?"

Rayla pondered the question as she tilted her head. "Uhh, I dunno," she answered. "Like, I'm not opposed to the idea. But, making a spectacle? All eyes on me? I'm not sure if I'd want that as my scenery for a proposal."

Callum chuckled. "Funny, the start Quarterback of the Katolis Football team, _doesn't_ want the attention?"

She frowned at him.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding, I know," he assured her. "But, proposals are meant to be spectacles. It's basically someone's way of saying, 'Hey, I wanna get hitched, but allow me to show you how much you mean to me,'" he explained with a complacent smile.

Rayla raised a brow. "Never thought ya'd say that." As he looked at her in confusion, she elaborated, "I mean like, I always thought ya'd be the type of person to say it's not one gesture that tells the deed. But, y'know, everythin' they do for you?" she inquired with a knowing smirk. "Like, why would ya need to profess so much of your love for one day, shouldn't ya already be doing that?"

Callum laughed. "Well, sure, but proposals are special." He leaned over as he excitedly said, "I remember how my dad proposed to my mom. It was just a regular family dinner, us coming over to his place," he motioned his hands about, "and then, he just filled the table with all of my mum's favourite things. Her favourite desserts, dinner meals, sides, and her favourite drink. He also got me some fresh summer fruits too—"

"And boy do ya love those fresh summer fruits," Rayla chimed in.

"_Exactly_," Callum pointed at her. "I think at the time, Dad knew he had to get on my good graces to if he was gonna propose to my mom, but I like that he made the night mostly about her. He played her favourite Bee Gee's song—"

"_How Deep is Your Love_?"

"Lucky guess."

"By the taste ya have, it was a fair shot."

"Anyways, he played it and they danced in his living room," he swayed his body, mimicking the emotions and moves he'd seen that day. "And then, he did his fancy little twirl, and slid away from her with style, then got down on one knee." Callum proudly smirked, "Since then, I knew he'd be a cool dad."

Rayla chortled as she threw her head back. "Ya're such a doofus."

He shrugged. "It was romantic. Even though it wasn't public, it was still a spectacle. At least for my mum and I."

"Well what 'bout ya," she gestured to him.

"Huh?"

"How would ya propose to your special friend?"

He chuckled. "Never thought about it."

"Really?"

"Yeah, well, it depends on who I'm with. What they like, what they want, if they'd even want to get married—" he scoffed. "I'm not gonna plan out something big and grand, when I don't know who it's for."

Rayla nodded. "Makes sense."

"But I've thought about how someone would propose to me."

She raised her brow. "Really?"

Callum looked at her with an amused face. "Yes, because guys can get proposed to, too."

"No, no, I know!" Rayla hastily said. "I just… tell me," she smiled, looking at him with an earnest attention.

He sighed. "I always thought, it'd be in an art gallery of some sort. Doesn't have to be the Louvre, but like, as long as there are dozens of paintings surrounding me, and-and, maybe, _All My Loving_ is playing in the background somewhere?" he laughed. "I don't know… like… I know it's not exactly a proposal song but, I always felt like it'd fit the moment. Just as they look me in the eye," he closed his and sighed as he _envisioned_ the scene. Like he had dozens of times before. "And spout off something poetic about love or whatever. Then, they drop on one knee. And it's easy as that." His eyes peeled open and found Rayla staring at him gobsmacked.

He cleared his throat as he fought off his blush. "I-I mean, it-it was just a thought… like… nothing crazy," he laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "I-I know, it sounds—"

"Beautiful Callum," Rayla cut him off. "Like always, what ya said was beautiful," she smiled at him. She scooted over to the edge of the bed and placed her hand on his knee. "I think it's real sweet. Romantic. It's very… ya."

He smiled at her. He hadn't even realized the song was playing again. When did she hit play? He was too busy smiling at her, he didn't he bother thinking about it much. "Thanks Ray."

"Whoever ties ya down later on," she slyly said, "better wow ya like that."

"Fingers crossed," he chuckled, raising his intertwined fingers at her.

With a laugh, she turned back to her notes and looked down. She hoped to God he couldn't see her rising blush or her dumb grin, that she couldn't fight off. It was a stupid thought. Just something that flashed her mind for the briefest of moments.

_Who cares baby, I think I wanna marry you_

It didn't mean anything.

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_**A/N: I wasn't originally gonna make this a College AU, because I thought I did a lot of them at this point (with the promise of more to come this month) and well, I wasn't really sure whether or not to do one more. But I realized that you all really like the AU, so I might as well give it to ya.**_

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_**Review Responses:**_

**_SassySapphire: _**_When you're as behind as I am on the ship month, you gotta pick up the pace! Glad you liked it!  
_

**_Griff-FanFic1933: _**_Thanks so much! The Aged Up cheese was a dumb joke I thought of literally days after I saw the prompt. I'm glad the message of the "Hurt" chapter sat well with you. I had fun writing it too!_

**_Prophet21: _**_And I am glad you stuck around! Thanks for the support!_

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_**Next prompt is Marriage. No twist this time. I swear.**_

_**Until next time,**_

_**\- Bleh**_


	34. The Married Life (Month Day 23)

_**A/N: Day 23 - marriage. This one isn't as good as you'd expect, but I hope you'll like it!**_

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_**Chapter Summary: **__The married life wasn't exactly what Callum or Rayla expected. But despite all it brought forward, they wouldn't change it for the world. Future Family AU._

_**Word count: 2,414**_

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**The Married Life**

"_Da!"_

Callum released a groan as he shot his head up from his paperwork. He threw his head back and shouted, "What is it now!" The pounding at his office door irked him as he turned his body around.

"_Da!"_ Isha's voice rung out.

He sighed. "Come in," he said sullenly.

The door whipped open as his daughter hopped inside. "Lian's being a twerp!"

His eyes widened. "Whoa!" he exclaimed. "Easy there," he advised, motioning her to calm down. "What happened?"

"He stole my hair tie!" Isha shouted.

Callum blinked. Of course he did. He wasn't sure why he expected anything truly drastic or urgent. Only the absurd of expectations. He sighed as he palmed at his face. "Why did he take your hair tie?" he tiredly asked through his hand.

Isha shrugged as she yelled, "I dunno! He just likes being a brat!"

"Knock it off with the insults Isha," Callum warned, "or else your little playdate thing with Farha is cancelled. I won't take you to see her."

His halfing sighed as she crossed her arms. "Fine. But can ya get it back?"

Callum rose up from his seat. He glanced at his paperwork and scoffed. It wasn't like signing agreement trades was exactly entertaining. He needed a break anyways. "Fine, fine," he walked over to the door, placing his hand on his daughter's back as they left the study. Cupping his free hand over his mouth, Callum shouted, "Lian! Lian! Where are you!"

"The kitchen!" came his answer.

Callum rushed over to his son's location with his daughter. He stepped inside and stared at his son, noticing his annoyed glare focused on his sister. "Isha says you took her hair tie," he informed him lightly, "would you care to return it?"

"No!" Lian shouted.

Callum sighed. "And why is that?"

"Because, Isha's being a big dummy!" Lian explained.

"_Lian_," he sternly spoke, "if your big sister isn't allowed to say insults like those, you can't either. No one insulting anyone here, okay?" He glanced between the two. "Okay?"

"Yes Da," they said together.

"Okay, thank you," Callum said with an exhaustive breath. "Now, Lian, what's the _real_ reason you stole your sister's hair tie?"

Lian pouted. "Because she's being mean," he answered as he lowered his head.

Callum raised a brow. "How—"

"I _am not_!" Isha shouted. "I'm not the one stealing other people's stuff!"

Lian glanced up and stuck his tongue out at his sister.

He gave Lian a firm gesture with his index finger whilst turning over to Isha and shooting her a stern look. Both kids seemed to grasp the message and turned their heads away with a pout. Satisfied with their reactions, Callum tried again. "Alright, so, Lian, how was your sister being mean?"

"He only did it because he likes attention," Isha mocked, leaning over Callum's shoulder.

"_Isha_!" Calum exclaimed. "Knock it off young lady," he looked at her, "you're really not helping yourself either!"

Isha's jaw dropped. "But _I_ didn't do anythin'!"

"But you're also _not_ helping," he pointed out. "If you keep this up I'm keeping you here."

Her eyes went wide. "No, no, I did all my chores like I promised! Ya and Mum said that was the deal!"

Callum sighed. "And it will change, if you keep interrupting."

"See?" Lian chirped. He gestured to her with both hands. "Mean!"

She scowled at him. "Give it back ya twerp!" she shouted, lunging at her younger brother. Callum caught her, ready to give her firm talking to, but was evidently cut off as Lian hopped from behind and attempted to slap his sister. It happened so fast Callum wasn't able to react, but thankfully Isha dodged.

"Kids! Kids!" Callum shouted. "Knock it off!" They bickered over his voice, shouting out playground insults with no rhyme or rhythm. Callum struggled to keep the two away with his arm's length, but still managed to avoid any injuries inflicted onto each other. Instead, he was taking the brunt of them. Of course they weren't as deadly as getting punched by a full fledged Moonshadow Assassin, but they stung just a smidge.

"What is going on here?" Rayla's voice rung out.

The fighting came to a halt as the sudden temperature in the room dropped to a glacier atmosphere. Callum immediately dusted himself off of any dirt and scuffs, mainly to buy time to compose himself. "Hi Dear!"

"Don't 'hi Dear' me without explaining what the heck I just walked into!" Rayla chastised, earning a flinch from Callum. Her tone was harsher than any blade or spell. "I came back from the meeting hall, _expecting_ ya to be ready with the signed papers. Not… doing whatever that was!"

"The children were having an argument, I had to settle it," Callum quickly explained, exhaustion laced within his voice. He walked over to Rayla and scratched the back of his head."And no one has revealed anything at all except that Lian has stolen Isha's hair tie."

Rayla thoughtfully looked at the two. "One at a time, tell me who started this," she demanded, crossing her arms.

"Isha was being—"

"Lian just took—"

"One… at… a… _time_," Rayla slowly spoke, narrowing her eyes at them, taking a step forward.

Callum felt chills race down his spine. He knew he was the fun parent. He understood that when it came to the hardcore scolding and firm tones, she was the better option. But boy did she really know how to lay it into their kids. Of course, whenever she took that tone with them, they would become too scared to even respond. Their heads fell as they remained tight lipped.

Callum placed his hand on her shoulder, causing her to snap to him. "Divide and conquer?"

Rayla's glare softened up as she blinked at him. With a small sigh, she nodded. "I'll take the munchkin," she muttered as she walked over to Lian, lifting him up from the floor and hoisting him up to her shoulders.

"I'm not a munchkin!" he softly argued, still too afraid to speak out.

Isha glanced up at her father, leaving him to smile warmly at her. "So, my little Mage, living room or your bedroom?"

She shyly kicked her foot. "Living room," came the quiet answer.

Callum quickly led her over to the living room, sitting her down at the long sofa as he placed himself right up against her. "Now, tell me what this is _really_ about."

Her brows went up in confusion.

"Issy, your little brother always like to poke fun and do things like that," she opened her mouth, " but that doesn't mean it's right!" Callum quickly finished. "But you've never let it get you so easily. What' so important about a hair tie that's got you so mad? If you're in a hurry, just leave your hair as is," he flicked a bunch of messy strands dangling down her forehead, earning an annoyed head jerk.

"I can't," she mumbled.

"Why not?"

"Because Farha _really_ liked my braids last time. And Mum's taught me how to do them all on my own, and I really need it for my braids," Isha explained in a soft tone.

Callum tilted his head. "Your mother has hair ties." He knew that didn't change the fact that the issue was her brother stole her hair tie. He understood that well. Callum just wanted to grasp at what was so special about this specific one, as he was getting a good hypothesis of why it meant so much to his daughter.

Isha's head fell. "...gave it…" she mumbled softly.

"What?"

"She…" she sighed. "She gave it to me…"

Callum smirked. Bingo. "That's very cool Isha," he acknowledged. He leaned down and cupped his hand over his mouth, feigning a whisper, "I think that means she likes you."

His daughter's eyes went wide as her face flushed. "_Da_!" she exclaimed, pushing him away. "Don't say that!" He laughed at his daughter's clear embarrassment. Eventually, she managed to look him in the eyes, hesitance boring into them. "Ya… ya think so?"

He smiled as he nodded at her. Confidently, he said, "I do, my little Mage."

She smiled. "Thanks Da."

He winked. "No problem." He wrapped an arm around and squeezed her softly. "I know you're brother is in the wrong here," he quietly spoke, "but I also need to make sure: did you do anything to make him upset?"

Isha frowned. "I dunno? He's been… just giving me the cold shoulder all morning." She shrugged. "He got all mad when I told him I was meeting up with Farha later."

Callum pursed his lips as he thought for a moment. "Okay," he replied, "Well, regardless, you need to make sure you help him too." Her brows quirked up. "He looks up to you, Issy, so you need to ease up on him too. You can't always get upset with your brother just for Farha. Because your bond with him matters too."

Isha bit her lip as she considered his words.

"Just promise me you won't be as hard on him as your mother might be," he jested, lightly nudging her shoulder." He stood up from the couch. "I'll go check up on them. Work on your braid," he winked, before walking out.

"Thanks Da," he heard her call out.

As he walked over to Lian's room, he heard their faint whispers.

"—ee why it's important to your sister?" her heard Rayla's voice. "Ya can't go around doing that, because it upsets her."

"But she promised to play with _me_ today!" Lian whined. "Everything's been about Farha. We don't play anymore." Callum leaned up against the wall outside. He didn't need to be in there to tell his little boy was frowning.

"I know Lian, but, your sister _really_ wants to spend time with other friends too. Like Farha," Rayla urged on, taking a lighter tone. "Ya have to respect what she wants. And make compromises with what ya can."

"Fine…" he muttered. Callum heard him hop off his bed and walk toward the door. Quickly, he adjusted himself and began walking as if he had just appeared. As soon as his son emerged, he sported a small smile. "Hi Dad," he greeted. "Sorry for… hitting ya."

Callum chuckled. "It's fine munchkin," he leaned down and ruffled his hair. "Glad to know your mum's lessons really paid off. Nice swings," he winked.

Lian laughed as he began walking away. Callum assumed that mean the was going to find his sister, but didn't bother with his lack of words. He heard Rayla emerge soon after.

"If ya're gonna listen in, at least try not to let _me_ hear," she advised.

Callum laughed. "The day I sneak up on you, my Dear, will be the day the next Dragon King falls."

She rolled her eyes. "Next time ya're making the run to the hall."

He smiled. "Oh, gladly!" he perked up, "it ain't no picnic holding down the fort either."

"They like ya more, ya're better at keeping peace."

"You literally just walked in on us fighting."

"Ya know what I mean," Rayla smiled. She stepped forward as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "If missing a few signed papers means ya keep our children happy and healthy, I'm all for it."

He chuckled. "Speaking of healthy, when I go to drop off Issy, you are _not_ touching the stove," he joked.

Rayla laughed. "Oh gladly," she easily agreed. "If I have to wait an extra hour for a good meal it'll be worth it!" she exclaimed.

"Thanks for saving me though," Callum pointed out.

"Always do," Rayla teased. The two leaned in and—

"_Da!"_ came Isha's voice. Exasperated sighs escaped the two. "_We're ready to go!"_

Callum cocked a brow as he turned back. "We?" he asked, walking over to the front entrance.

He found Isha, with her braid groomed together, completed with a small emerald green hair tie. And Lian had his backpack with him. Confused, Callum looked to Isha for answers.

"I said he can come." she simply said. "Thought it'd be cool if he met Farha."

Lian excitedly nodded. "Issy said I can show her my drawings!"

Callum and Rayla exchanged a quick glance, wearing knowing smirks as they did so. "Did she now? Callum inquired.

He noticed the faint blush on his daughter's cheeks.

"Yup!"

"And did ya apologize?" Rayla clarified, eyeing her son with a smile.

"Uh huh!" Isha spoke for him. "He gave it back and said sorry." She flipped her braid over her shoulder. "The least I could do was let him tag along with me today, right?"

Callum smiled. "Right." He flashed a wink at her, and developed a greater at her daughter's proud smirk. "Well, then, shall we take this show on the road?" he asked. The kids cheered as they quickly rushed out the door. He turned back to Rayla and laughed. "Best—"

"Parents—"

"Ever," they simultaneously cheered.

They high nined each other with proud smiles. "Hopefully, if all goes well, the two might stay the night!" Callum suggested with an eager smile.

Rayla's face lit up. "That means alone time at home!" she pieced together. A content sigh escaped her as she swooned. "It's been ages!"

Callum laughed as he moved toward the door. "Fret not, my Dear, for tonight, is for us!" And with that, he walked out the door.

Rayla happily turned around, with a newfound pep in her step. A night with no disturbances, no maintenance, free of responsibilities. A sudden ruffle of noise echoing throughout the halls brought her attention over to the study. Rayla peeked in and immediately frowned at the sight before her. The dozens of sensitive and essential documents, crucial to several trades between villages and nations, and all the like—splattered across the floor. Either shredded to bits like a chipped wood, or soaked like a drenched coat. The culprit?

The baby Sky Dragon Callum was so gracious to adopt.

Rayla groaned as she banged her head against the door frame. Adding on the list of errands to run the next day, she had to replace those documents by regathering the council _and_ regaining all signatures. The worst part was her errands didn't end there. Because today, she forgot to get Zeusia's food. Another groan as she palmed at her face. Every win had a loss.

Such was the married life.

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**_A/N: This didn't turn out like I wanted, but I ended up rather... uninspired toward the end and really felt that what it became worked for what I was going for. The married life is much more than two spouses. It's family. So, light hi-jinx, but I just wanted an excuse for more Rayllum family. Sue me. :P_**

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**_Review Responses:_**

**_Prophet21: _**_As always, appreciate your reviews! Thanks for sticking around!_

**_Guest:_**_ I hope this was good enough for the "actual" marriage. For now, married life is just the family AUs, 'cause that's all I got! Thanks for the review!_

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_**Next prompt you ask? Ball. And since you may be tired, I full fledge warn you, it's not a dance. In fact, I challenge you, what do you think it'll be about?**_

_**Until next time,**_

_**\- Bleh**_


	35. The Ball (Month Day 24)

_**A/N: Day 24 - ball. Enjoy...**_

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_**Chapter Summary: **__They promised to help save the world. Of course, that didn't just mean returning Zym to his mother and restoring order within all the lands. That also meant helping those in need along the way. For instance, a group of kids. And their ball stuck in the tree._

_**Word Count: 3,176**_

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**The Ball**

"And then our next stop is this lil' village near the edge of the Earthblood Elf regions. Lots of landscape there," Rayla explained, "Plenty of caves to camp out in."

Callum pouted as he hoisted Zym up to his shoulders. "Great, because another inn would be too much to ask for," he sarcastically quipped.

Rayla shot him a look. "Ya got anymore money?" she asked. He sighed. "Didn't think so, oh so wise Prince."

Callum sighed as they walked on. "You're still upset about the trade," he noted.

"Nearly all our money for five loafs of bread!" she spontaneously shouted. Rayla glanced at him and scoffed. "Cal, we coulda used that money for other things!"

Callum rolled his eyes. "'Kay but, thinking about it more logically, we _did_ waste a lot of money on spending nights at inns. More than we needed to," he pointed out.

Rayla harshly laughed. "Excuse me? I didn't hear ya complainin' about sharing a bed!"

"Your ideas, your rules," Callum teased, leaning closer with a smug smile.

She pouted. "If ya had any objections ya should've said so."

He laughed. "Ray, I'll never have any objections of it makes you happy," she felt her face flush at his words, "and staying at inn, with a roof over our heads and a nice comfort blanket is something I'm okay with doing since it makes you happy." He then twisted his body to show off his backpack. "And I _know_ eating Sunberrybread makes you feel happy too. You just don't like wasting money on food because you think we can rely on gathering them."

Rayla fought back her blush as she looked at Callum. "I can gather food."

"And pull lookout? And scout ahead?" Callum rhetorically fired back. "You tire yourself out a lot, the least I could do is handle the food just for a bit." He winked at her. "And besides," he dug into his pockets, "we still got five coins! Our pockets aren't completely empty."

Rayla sighed. "Ya're right," she relented. She found her smile and chuckled at him. "Who knew ya would be such a good travelling buddy?"

Callum shrugged. "I'm full of surprises."

She laughed. "Great!" she looked off into the distance. Her attention notably drawing over to the mountaintops within the near acres. "Can one of those surprises be stamina? Because if we can push it, I think we'll make it to that cliff face before sunset!"

Callum nodded as he adjusted his grip on Zym. "Get ready boy," he told him, "we're in for a walk!"

::::

And their walk was cut short.

Immediately.

As soon as the two made their way down the path, nearing a clearing, they heard an uproar of shouting nearby. Alert, Rayla raised her hand and motioned them to a halt. She grabbed onto her blades and unsheathed them, turning her head in every direction, utilizing her fine tuned ears to single out the direction. Callum extended his finger, mindset prepped and spell in mind, he was ready to back her up. Her ears twitched, and body shifted to the left, prompting Callum to do the same.

"They're over there," she whispered, crouching down as she slowly crept forward. Callum followed her lead, and the two began wandering into the bushes. Soon enough, the yelling became loud enough for Callum to hear. His expression shifted from seriousness and concern, to confusion. He hadn't spent much time in Xadia, but he was positive that those sounds, were children. With wide eyes, he glanced to Rayla, noticing the same amount of concern reaching her. She knew too.

As they brushed through the bushes and leaves, the scene before them became more clear. A group of young elves, Earthblood elves no doubt, all gathered around in the centre of the clearing. All that screaming and shouting? Just the thrill of a harmless game. About six kids, all spread out in a circle, happily cheering as they kicked a small little brown ball at each other. Just a simple game with a ball. Relief overwhelmed the two as Rayla sheathed her blades and Callum released a breathy sigh.

"Let's go," she whispered.

As Callum nodded, a sudden cry came from the group of children. "_No!"_ The two immediately whipped their heads back at the source, and were shocked to see an airborne ball flying over their way. It was so high and flew so fast, they could barely process its arc. It landed right in the branches of the tree they were hiding right under. Simultaneously, their eyes went wide as the conclusion hit them at the same time.

"Hey who's over there?" one of the kids shouted.

The two ducked right away, camouflaging themselves within the bushes.

"We see ya!" another chimed in.

Rayla released an annoyed sigh. She glanced to Callum, who merely shrugged, and turned his attention back to the kids. He popped out of the bush and waved at them, still holding Zym with his other arm. "Hiya kids!"

Rayla's eyes went wide as she rose up soon after. "What the heck are ya doing?" she harshly whispered, even though at this point their cover was blown.

Callum waved his hand dismissively as he stepped out of the bushes. "Do you guys need help with the ball?" he asked them.

The approaching onslaught of kids halted in their tracks as shocked eyes seemed to take their faces. A shared gasp escaped from them, and a simultaneously step back alert Callum's guard. His face dropped into shock as he _completely_ forgot that there was a war between their nations for a split second. And that he was carrying a rare and almost thought extinct species in his arms. A nervous chuckle slipped from him as Rayla facepalmed.

"I, uh… I come in peace!" he shouted, holding his hands up in innocence. The gesture left him to drop Zym straight to the ground, eliciting a startled yelp from the Dragon Prince. As the children remained skeptical, Callum cleared his throat, taking a step forward. "I mean no harm! I swear!" he urged on, expressing as much innocence as he could muster.

Rayla sighed, understanding she would need to help vouch for him. "It's true!" she shouted, running toward his side. "He doesn't mean ya any harm! We're…"

"Adventurers!" Callum finished, perkily jerking a thumb at his chest. "And, as adventurers, we're on a mission to deliver this lil' fella," he gestured down at Zym, who excitedly yelped, "back to his mommy!"

Their faces seemed to ease up, especially at the realization that there was a baby dragon present. Half of the kids lit up at Zym's overall cuteness, whispering words of awe and wonder.

"Exactly!" Rayla chirped. "And so, we must really be on our way—" she grabbed Callum's hand, edging him backward. She tuned out a light whistle, dragging Zym's attention away from the new crowd and back to her. "But it was nice seeing ya!"

"Rayla, Rayla, wait!" Callum exclaimed, yanking his arm off. "They clearly need help," he gestured up at the tree." Turning back to them, he asked, "Do you need help getting the ball out?"

They all exchanged looks of worry and hesitation, obviously unsure of how to respond.

Rayla sighed. "See? They can handle it." She reached for Callum's arm, only to be dodged.

"Not everyone trained to be an Assassin at the age of six," he teased. "C'mon," he laughed, turning back to the kids. "You clearly can't reach it. Just let us help!"

"_Callum_," Rayla whispered, tugging at his sleeve. "We're already burning daylight, we can't afford to delay!"

He laughed. "If you're patient enough to stop and let me sketch a view, you can wait a bit to help some kids."

She rolled her eyes and glanced down at Zym, who seemed to encourage Callum's words with an excited nod. She scoffed. It wasn't that she was _entirely_ opposed to the idea. But their whole mission in Xadia was laying low, not a _single _elf had learned of their presence and now six children seemed to ruin their illusion of secrecy. But kids did have an element of unpredictability, and Rayla wasn't looking forward to being caught off guard. She just didn't trust them. It might have seemed hypocritical, but she didn't want to leave anything to chance, especially when it seemed the kids were giving them an out.

"Ray," Callum grabbed her hand, "we set out to make a change in the world. That _includes_ helping anyone along the way. And they," he nodded over to the kids, "clearly need help!"

Rayla sighed as she pulled her hand back and crossed her arms, wearing a thoughtful look. Of course, Callum smiled his classic pleading smile, and she dropped her facade of anger. He was right, of course he was. She nodded. "Fine," she relented.

Callum excitedly pumped his fist as he turned to the kids. "Just you wait!" he told them, "we'll get your ball!" He knelt down to Zym and urged him forward, "Meantime, you guys can hang out with Zym!"

"_Callu_m—"

"Or not," he corrected himself. He pointed at the dragon."Zym just… chill," he ordered.

Zym tilted his head in confusion before turning back to the kids. Eagerness in his eyes, he rushed over to the kids and began barking in excitement, much to Rayla's protests. He ran around them with a burst of energy, too fast for any of them to really stop and grab him, leaving them to exclaim gasps of wonder and awe. Rayla shot Callum a deadly stare, to which he shrugged once more.

"Sooner we get this done, the sooner we're out?" he suggested.

"Fine," she sighed once more. "How are ya getting it out then?" Rayla asked, glancing up the large tree.

"I thought you'd… y'know…" Callum wordlessly gestured his hand about, "Assassin-y yourself up there!"

She laughed. "No, no, no, your idea, your solution. I'm just here to make sure ya don't fall on your ars—tsy behind," she dragged out with a nervous smile, eyes flashing over to the collection of kids eyeing them up with suspicion.

Callum scoffed. "Nice save," he mused. Her turned up to the tree and frowned. He supposed it was fair he solved this himself.

This tree, as it turned out, was enormously large. Callum quickly learned that the average tree life in Xadia measured to ridiculous heights. Not even the tallest trees in the human lands could compare. While it did tower high above, it also had a vast array of branches stemming throughout, each branch extending meters out and clustered together. The brown ball in question remained what looked to be the halfway point of the tree, which was still high up.

"Yeesh, which kid kicked that?" Callum mused, turning back to the group.

One of the girls, with long roughed up white hair, raised her hand. "I… I didn't mean to! It just came so fast!"

"Oh relax," Callum waved off, "from where you guys were, that's a pretty impressive distance!" He winked at her with a big smile. "You're pretty tough!" Leaning over, he nudged Rayla's elbow. "Right Ray?"

"Ri-Right!" she agreed. Her gaze nervously flew down to the kids as she plastered on an encouraging smile. "I'd say ya'd make a cool Assassin."

Her little blue eyes lit up with wonder. "Really!" Rayla nodded. "Whoa!"

The other kids hopped on that praise and began whispering toward her, offering words of encouragement and compliments. "Wow! That's so cool!" a little boy whispered.

"I wanna kick high like that!" shouted another.

"I wish I could be that cool," another girl added.

Simultaneously, they turned to Rayla. "Could ya teach us?" one of the boys with a dirted up brown hair asked, excitement pouring from his eyes. They all stepped forward eagerly, hands shaking with joy.

Rayla's face drained. "Uhhh… ha… I don't think—"

"C'mon, Ray," Callum pushed her forward, "Might as well do something while I'm working on that!"

She shot him a conflicted look of worry. "But what if ya fall?"

"I won't climb, relax," Callum waved off. "I'll just use the wind spell to get it out!"

Her face scrunched up as she looked at the kids' expectant looks of excitement. She offered a half energetic wave as they all stepped closer once more, causing her to back away in retaliation. Instinct, that was what it was.

"Ya're a Moonshadow Elf right?" one of the boys shouted.

"Can ya show us your blades? I hear ya make your own!"

"Do a flip! Do a flip!"

"I wanna kick high! How can I do that!"

The bombardment of ridiculous questions overwhelmed Rayla so quickly she motioned them to halt, realizing that they were also ganging up on her with their presence. They were a _lot_ closer than before. "Eh heh…" she nervously laughed, "I-uh, I better make sure he doesn't hurt himself." She pointed over to him as she walked back to Callum, this time with a hurried pace.

He had taken a few steps back, eyeing up the ball and placing himself at a decent angle from below. When he noticed her return he shot her a brow. "What's wrong?"

"I don't _do_ kids," she whispered fiercely, "Now hurry up and get it out!"

Callum had no time to even ask her to elaborate about the former half of her sentence, so he turned up at the tree and cocked his head ever so slightly. The ball was just hooked between two branches, lodged right in the dead centre. It was stuck like a wedge, so a good amount of force should be able to push it out. Callum's deduction came to a close as he took a deep breath. He brought his finger up and pushing out his air, he drew the spell above his head.

"_Aspiro_," he whispered, the blue light illuminated, and he blew into it. A sudden gust of wind emerged and blew straight up the tree, shaking the branches and leaves to the very bark. The ball began shaking, but remained in its place. Callum kept his eyes narrowed as he maintaining his form, focusing on blowing as much air as he could. Control and aim, he learned this. He tightened his lips and watched as the tunnel of wind lessened to a smaller funnel. As the pressure died down, the ball began to loosen up, evidently falling straight out of its trap and down to the ground.

Callum smirked as he released his breath, proud of his accomplishment. But his pride quickly faded as he realized the ball was flying off the branch in the other direction. He rushed after it, trying to guess its arc but stopped as he noticed it fall with less grace and more withered like. He caught it, and frowned as he realized why.

"Whoa!" the kids shouted, rushing over to him. Quickly, he hid the ball behind his back, startled at the sudden rush of joy and happiness. "Ya're a Mage!"

"I didn't know there were Human Mages!"

"How did ya do that!"

"I wanna learn!"

"Silly, we're Earthblood Elves, we can't do that!"

"Can ya show us again!"

Callum's face swelled up in pride. He knew they were kids. He knew that meant their expectations were always dialed to the highest degree and quite frankly, he didn't care. It felt so nice, just for him to hear a collective praise for his efforts for once. Rayla had done so time and time again, but this felt different. The acclaim of a collection of young strangers made him feel proud.

"Th-Thank you!" he smiled, "I uh, yeah, I learned how to do it a just a month ago."

"Wow…" was the collective response.

Rayla giggled as she rushed over. She too enjoyed seeing Callum flustered in pride, as it was always a rarity. Even though she always jokingly shot him down, she always strived to build her confidence up. "Yup!" she spoke up. "He learned all on his own!"

"Whoa…"

Callum chuckled. "Nah, nah, I had help!" he brushed off.

"Well, thanks Mister!" one of the boys shouted.

"Yeah, thanks for getting our ball back!"

His face dropped to a frown. "Oh…" he sighed. "About that," slowly, he revealed the ball showing off the sudden tear that creased at the centre, deflating it of its bounce and turning it into a mush of leather, "I'm so sorry." He hung his head low. "It must've snagged on the branch when I blew it out. I…"

"But that was still so cool!" the little girl from before shouted. "Ya looked like a real Mage!"

His face lit up. He never thought he'd ever hear such words from the mouth of a little kid. But there she was, watching them in awe. "But your ball…"

"Oh it's fine Mister," the boy chirped up, "We have to head home soon anyways. It's getting dark out."

"But thanks for trying!"

"And for letting us play with your pet dragon!"

"And for showing us that cool spell!"

One by one, they started to disperse. The little girl with roughed up white hair lingered for a moment, staring at him. "It was still really cool," she smiled, "but it was an old ball anyways." She shrugged. "Thanks for making me feel better," she glanced between him and Rayla, eyes full of youthful wonder. "Good luck on your mission!" she waved and turned around, ready to run.

"Wait!" Callum shouted, startling her to a halt. He walked over and knelt down before her, digging into his pocket. "I'm not sure if this is enough," he pulled out the five coins, the very last of their money and held it out to her, "but maybe you could buy yourself a new one?"

Her eyes opened wide with shock. "Really?"

Callum turned back to Rayla, who smiled and offered a light nod. In turn, he turned back and nodded. "Yeah. Really."

"Whoa!" she gasped. "Thanks Mister Mage!" she shouted, as she held her hand out, watching him drop the coins into her hands. "I'll make sure to tell everyone how cool you are!" And with that, she ran off, hurrying after her friends as they made it over a hill just up the way.

Callum sighed. "I'm sorry—"

"Don't be," Rayla laughed. She walked over and placed her hand on his shoulder. "That was really sweet of ya. And… I think that was the smartest spending we've done yet."

He smiled. "I think so too." He turned back and whistled, calling Zym away from his recent target of a Moonfly. The small Dragon rushed over and hopped into his arms, licking at his chin with joy. "Yup, thanks buddy," he chuckled, "Appreciate your help too."

"Now," Rayla spoke up, "shall we get a move on?"

"Absolutely!" Callum agreed. "And on the way, you can tell me what's the deal with you and kids…"

She laughed, shaking her head as she turned around. "Maybe another time."

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_**A/N: Of course, I take it as literal as possible! Because... why not? I'm sorry for the delays, I have been terribly procrastinating, but I hope to catch up asap! Anyways, I decided to no do any AU because I really wanted to loop back to their adventure life and well, create a scenario where they have to be more than just the mission. After all, they can't just turn away from everyone they pass, eventually there'll be those who need their help.**_

_**For now? It's just a bunch of kids.**_

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_**Review Response:**_

**_Guest: Close to the idea of it being a sport! I guess... and high nine was just referring to Callum's high five meeting Rayla's high four. Just thought it'd be funny to write._**

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**_Next prompt is honeymoon! heh... sure it is..._**

**_Until next time,_**

**_\- Bleh_**


	36. Honeymoon - Childhood AU (Month Day 25)

_**A/N: Day 25 honeymoon. And yes, this is a childhood AU. Don't go thinking anything wrong here!**_

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_**Chapter Summary:**_ _Callum wasn't always opposed to trying new things. But, when it came to Rayla and her own tastes, he's had better luck. Childhood AU._

_**Word Count: 1,542**_

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**Honeymoon**

"So it's a dessert?" a young Callum asked, wearing a hesitant look as he observed the liquid pour onto his pancake.

Rayla nodded, excitedly bouncing in her seat as she set the cup of syrup down beside their plates. "Yup! It's collected off saps in my village! The Moonbees stick around the bark, and leave their sap behind!"

Callum's face contorted into disgust. "And you thought moldy cheese was disgusting?"

Rayla whipped her head back in shock. "What's wrong with honeymoon?"

Callum frowned. "It comes off tree bark?"

"We clean it obviously," Rayla pointed out. "Trust me," she said with a smile, "Runaan _loves_ this! He buys this so much and rarely lets me have it sometimes. It's his favourite syrup!"

The young prince remained skeptical. "I don't know… looks…" he poked at the liquid with his fork. It was very thick, it turned out, as it latched onto the prongs as soon as he pulled his utensil away. "Eww." He dropped his fork onto the plate. "I think I'll just ask the chef for another stack of pancakes—" he moved to hop off his chair, but was pulled back by his elven friend.

"Don't be such a baby," Rayla chastised. "Try it!"

Callum pouted as he sunk down into this chair. With reluctance driving him, he moved his fork around the syrup. "Last time we did this, it was with your disgusting Moonberry juice."

Rayla frowned. "It's not disgustin'!" she shouted, pointing her fork at him. "Ya're just weird!"

"No, you are!"

"No, ya are!"

"No you!"

"No ya!"

The two stopped at their standstill, leaning close with their eyes burrowing hard into each other. Narrowing their brows, they both remained unmoved. It wasn't uncommon for the two to have disagreements like these. Often enough, their difference in tastes and opinions were what actually connected them. Slowly, with interest, did they learn about one another's culture. It was one of their favourite things to do, exposing each other to their own interests and understanding about their homes. And like always, even with their disagreements, their compromises came through just as easily.

"Fine," Rayla sighed. "If ya don't like it, I'll ask the chef to make us another stack and ya can have it all by yourself!"

Callum's eyes lit up in awe. "Really?"

"Really," she nodded.

"But what if I like it?"

She tilted her head, confused. "Then ya get to eat it?"

"Oh, right, right," Callum nodded, lightly smacking his head. "Silly me."

Rayla giggled. "Deal?" she held out her pinky.

The young prince nodded with an eager smile, wrapping his own pinky finger around hers. "Deal."

::::

Runaan loved visiting Katolis. Ever since the treaty between their peoples began, he enjoyed coming to human festivals and most especially during the celebration of the war's end. The day it all began. The annual celebration came around, and the town was bustling with travelers and excitement. It was the very first time Rayla had ever been in the Human Kingdoms. It was the day she met Callum. He had lost her in the crowd, and soon enough, found her in the company of a little boy, laughing and running amok. It was then he realized she hadn't spent much time playing with other kids, as she devoted her determination to training and studying the ways of the Assassin.

It was then Runaan knew, how much of an importance, would a child like Callum be in her life.

Shortly after, he noticed the young boy was accompanied by the Queen and King themselves. After a short round of formalities, they evidently agreed their children should meet again. And so, Runaan visits in Katolis changed from staying at inns to staying at the castle. The tourism and usual sightseeing became replaced with afternoon chit chat with the royal family and watching their children run around and play. And he loved every second of it. Their chance encounter all those years ago, led to this beautiful bond between children.

Runaan knew Rayla wasn't his. He knew that she was merely his ward as her parents were off, guarding the King with their important missions and such. But he loved seeing her smile. And soon, he loved how much the King and Queen felt the same way. Treating her like their own daughter, like he did Callum as his own son. They were a nice family. Runaan was happy, regardless of how their years together would play out, that Callum and Rayla found each other. Even though a small part of him was on the rooting side.

"—_good idea!" _a faint, young voice echoed throughout the halls.

Runaan glanced up from his recollection, realizing he was nearing the dining hall. He had caught from a guard, that the two kids decided to have breakfast together without the adults. He was personally hurt by their deception, but still remarked at their chosen time spent together. He smiled as he neared the door, his hand on the handle. How sweet—

"_I think I like this honeymoon!"_

His hand froze as his eyes widened. He turned to the two guards stood outside, looking at their faces for an explanation. Simply enough they shrugged with wide eyes. They clearly weren't paying attention until now either. Curious, Runaan pressed his ear up against the door, whilst the guards leaned back, turning their ears toward the door as well.

"—_right? It's so good!"_

Runaan's eyes widened more, glancing back and forth between the two guards, who remained simply in shock.

"_I wanna have one of my own!"_

Runaa's mouth dropped to the floor, the guard to his left had let go of his spear and held his head in bewilderment, while the one to his right simply froze like a statue. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He knew Harrow had suggested arranging a marriage, but had he influenced them _that_ much? This was absurd. Runaan held his forehead as he balanced his footing, not even realized how close he was to fainting. Surely, he was just imagining things.

" —_rents don't have any?" _Rayla's voice lightly inquired.

"_No, I don't think so at least."_

Runaan's brows coiled up in confusion.

"_Hmm, I'll ask Runaan if we can have a honeymoon of our own!"_

Enough was enough. Stepping back, the Moonshadow Elf kicked the door open with a fury, launching himself into the room, he shouted, "You're _far too_ young!"

"Prince Callum wait!"

"At least consult your mother!"

The guards too had rushed in, equally as concerned as the Elf between them. Runaan scanned the scene before them. They were simply sat at the dining table, with a plate of pancakes set before them and what looked to be a jar of syrup beside them. They shot them looks of confusion.

"Consult my mom about getting syrup?" Callum asked, blinking with innocence. "I mean, I was gonna."

"Yeah," Rayla nodded. "Don't worry, we weren't just gonna take your syrup Runaan," she laughed, shaking her head in amusement.

"Wow, you weren't kidding when he said he really loves honeymoon," Callum mused, giggling alongside Rayla.

"Right?" she laughed.

Runaan's face flushed as he felt the appalled stares of the guards shoot his way. He had _never_ said that before. "_Wh-What_!" he exclaimed. "I never—" his words stopped short as he noticed the jar before the plate of pancakes. Or rather, realized the colour of the liquid inside. It looked like… "Rayla…" he softly spoke, walking over to their table. "Are you talking about this?" he inquired, picking up the jar in question.

She nodded. "Yeah! I told Callum how much ya love honeymoon, and got him to try some!"

Relief washed over his body as he released his breath. "Oh thank Thunder," he whispered. With an amused smile, he shook his head. "Rayla, this is called Moonhoney syrup." The relieved sighs escaped from the guards behind him, much to his amusement.

"Ohh," she slowly nodded. "But, how's that different from what I was calling it?"

"Yeah, I think honeymoon sounds better!" Callum cheered, stabbing his fork into his food.

Runaan coughed, clearing his throat as he nervously laughed. "W-Well, uh, Moonhoney comes from Moonbees and well… a honeymoon is…" he turned back to the guards, who simultaneously shook their heads with vigor. "Something you'll have to ask King Harrow about," he finished, wearing a smug smile, "He's much more knowledgeable about that sorta of thing. He can explain it _far_ better than I!"

Rayla and Callum shared a look then shrugged. "Okay Runaan!" Rayla chirped.

"We'll ask him after breakfast!" Callum decided.

Runaan laughed. "Please do. In the meantime, I shall be in the library if you need me." Another bonus with being friends of the Queen and King, a vast endless room of reading and a decent spot to hide. He turned back and nodded at the guard, signalling them to leave. They exited the room, and shut the doors behind them. "Good day," he departed to the two.

They nodded and straightened themselves up, ignoring the nervous sweat they had accumulated over the last minute. Runaan quietly chuckled to himself as he walked away.

Perhaps in the future.

Way, way, way, _way_ into the future.

* * *

**_AN: Ahh, classic fun. The hi-jinx and goofiness involved with the Childhod AU is very refreshing... and a lot easier to write. Hope you all enjoyed it! Next prompt is Pregnancy. No twisting. It's straight up pregnancy. _**

**_Until next time,_**

**_\- Bleh_**


	37. Pregnant Thoughts (Month Day 26)

_**A/N: Day 27 - pregnancy. Ahh, cravings... amiright?**_

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_**Chapter Summary: **__Callum vowed to be there for Rayla in sickness and in health. But now? He was wishing he vowed to be there unless she was pregnant. Simply enough, Rayla's got cravings and Callum's the delivery boy._

_**Word Count: 1,994**_

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**Pregnant Thoughts**

"_Callum_!"

With a wince and a tired look, the man in question shot up from his recent sketching, arcing his head back as he shouted, "Yes my Dear?"

"_I need ya!"_

He sighed as he pushed himself out of his chair, walking over to the door. "Are you sure it's a need me, need me? Or more like, need me because you don't wanna get up to get another book?"

"_Shut up and come help me!_" she shouted back.

Callum sighed as he wandered down the hall. He found his wife, his beautiful, amazing wife, lying down on the couch, book rested on her bloated belly, and blanket stopping just short over her waist. "I need ya to tuck me in," she stated. Because pregnant Rayla didn't ask, no, demands were more her speed.

Callum chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head. "Ray, I would, but it's a couch, wouldn't you prefer being tucked in bed—"

"I _like_ being on the couch!" she shouted. "It's comfy, it's nice, and I wanna be near the campfire in case!"

"But it's July—" he stopped himself, knowing that at this point he was merely holding a shovel in his hand and practically setting himself up. With a sigh, he walked over to his love, and began fitting the blanket around her, tucking her in as best he could.

And Callum swore, for the briefest of moments, he caught a smile elicit from her face. He instantly smiled out of joy. He rarely got those nowadays. "What're ya smiling 'bout?" she scowled, narrowing her brows. "Thinkin' how funny it is to tuck a turkey?" she barked, rising up from her spot.

His eyes widened as he vigorously shook his head. "No, no, no, no, no, no!" he held his hands up. "I was just, I-I, saw you—smile! It looked nice!"

"What? Ya saying I don't smile?" her narrowed eyes turned to slits.

He gulped. He needed to act fast. "Of course you do! You… smile all the time, it… it's what inspires me to draw," he said with a warm smile. Rayla seemed satisfied with his answer, easing into the couch more, leaving Callum to retuck her. Clearing his throat, Callum knelt down and smiled at her. "So, uh, need anything else?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Ya can go, I wanna read."

Callum nodded, jerking his thumb over to the room down the hall. "I'll be in the study if you need me," he whispered. He leaned in and pecked her forehead, then departed from the living room. Not even a second down the hall, he heard an annoyed groan echo throughout their home. If he was feeling lucky, Callum was attempt to play it off like he hadn't heard her at first and try to return to his sketching, and hopefully it would either play out that nothing came out of it. But of course, knowing how his luck played out for the past few weeks, Callum decided to respond instantaneously and whipped his body around, rushing back into the living room. "Yes? Need something?" he hastily asked.

Rayla was adjusting herself—even though she had asked him to tuck her in—and wore a discomforted look as she did so. "No, I'm good," she muttered.

Callum sighed. If there was one thing he knew about Pregnant Rayla, it was that whenever she had cravings, she needed to be prompted to reveal what they were. And it took a lot of prompting to do so. "You sure?" he asked.

"Yes," she flatly replied.

"Positive?"

"Oh my goodness, just go," she groaned, throwing her head back.

Callum sighed once more, anticipating that he might be doing a lot more of that today. "If you say so!" he shouted. He started stomping in place, trying to give the illusion that he had walked off, hoping it would help egg her on.

"I know ya're still there! I have super ears!" she shouted, not even caring how silly her words sounded. Callum groaned as he walked away. This was baiting. He was walking into the study, and as he sat down in his chair, pencil in hand, it happened again. "_Callum_!"

He held back his sighs, irritation, pain, and gritted his teeth with a forced smile. Running down the hall, he shouted, "Yes my Dear!"

"I have cravings!"

He tried to muster as much shock as he could. "Whaaaat? Really?"

"Don't do that," she venomously spat, "Or I'll shoot this baby in your face!"

Callum's face dropped into horror. Another fun thing with Pregnant Rayla: everyday she managed to come up with new graphically vulgar and horrific insults. Somedays if he was lucky, he'd get two of them. "Right, right," he apologized, "sorry. Uhh, what're you craving?"

He begged it was Sunberry bread. He could get that at the market in the square.

Or Moonberry juice, they sold that there too.

Or maybe Moonhoney, they still had some in their shelves.

"Moldy cheese."

His face dropped. "What?"

"I want moldy cheese," she repeated.

"But… you hate dairy… anything…" Callum pointed out, utterly confused by her request.

"Yeah? And I hate being bloated and having to lie here! But look where we are!" she yelled gesturing all around them. "For the love of Thunder, I just want some cheese, so I can read my book, eat in peace, and be tucked in for a nap!"

Callum sighed once again, nodding. "Yes, of course my Dear," he replied, walking over to her. He leaned in for a peck on the lips, but stopped as she raised her finger to intercept.

"Ya're wastin' time."

And with that, Callum's mission began.

::::

"So let me get this straight," Soren began, "You went to the market in town, searched all the strips of food shops, and even went to your neighbours' houses, and still got no cheese?"

"Yes and—"

"And since you knew the town nearby had none, and the town after that, you decided to run _all the way_ over here, to the castle, for this?" Soren held up the moldy cheese in his hand, completely shocked by the younger man's actions.

Panting heavily, Callum breathed out, "_Yes_."

"Callum, this is why you should've taken Ez's offer and just stay here whenever you two visit!" Soren pointed out. "Look how much—"

"Soren, we've been over this, Ray and I prefer staying in town whenever we're only here for a few days," Callum quickly reminded him, "and besides, I would _love_ to stay at the castle but Rayla's decided that she prefers staying at a small house in town instead, apparently it's more cosy."

The head guard scoffed with confusion. "What?"

"Listen, I'd love to debate or agree and talk about this, but if you have issues or anything you want to talk about, tell my wife the next time you see her," Callum hurriedly said, "right now, I _need_ that block of bleu cheese."

Soren glanced down at the block, then back up at Callum. "Dude, just go to the kitchen. The chef will give you another."

"Soren, that's all the way inside! Like, the lowest level too! I was lucky to even run into you in the courtyard with your little afternoon snack!"

"I know Callum, but like, I _just_ started eating this."

"You sliced off a piece with your sword and placed it on a jelly tart," Callum deadpanned.

"Yeah, that's how I eat my cheese?"

Callum took a deep breath. He still had inspiration in his veins, and he was _determined_ to finish his sketch today. He took five steps back and dropped into a steady stance, spreading his legs out as he lifted his finger. He was _not_ letting down his wife today. "Soren… don't make me do this," he lightly pleaded, drawing the blue symbol before him.

Soren's eyes narrowed as his free hand flew down to the handle of his sword, gripping tightly as he slowly crouched into a tight stance. "You wouldn't dare…" he replied, attempting to call his bluff.

Callum shook his head. "With a pregnant wife with cravings? Of course I would—_aspiro_!" he suddenly shouted, blowing a large gust of wind against the crownsguard. He flew back a few feet, leaving the object of his eye to fly out of his hand. Callum adjusted his bottom lip, arcing the wind funnel somewhat upward, sending the block of cheese straight into the air. He seized his spell and rushed toward the moldy cheese, reaching out to catch it. As soon as it landed in his hand, he pumped his fist victory. "Yes!"

"Guards!" Soren's voice rung out, draggin Callum's attention back in front of him. His face dropped as he saw a very mad looking Soren and a couple guards rounding the corner, appearing behind his back. Callum turned back and noticed another few turning up at the other entrance to the courtyard. The sound of Soren's sword unsheathing, slicing through the air reverberated through the wind around them. He narrowed his eyes at Callum, pointing his hilt at the Archmage.

"Get the cheese!"

::::

A sudden mist of sparkles and cloud emerged within the living room, startling Rayla out of her almost nap. "Ah Callum!" she shouted as the man formed before her. "How many times have I told ya not to teleport inside the house!"

"I…" he huffed, "I… I did it." he limped over to his wife, kneeling before her as he bestowed a wrapped item in front of her face. "My love… here… enjoy… live…" he panted collapsing onto the floor as soon as Rayla picked it up.

"Finally! I was wondering what took ya!" She eagerly unwrapped the block of cheese and took an unceremonious bite out of it, chunking off a large section. She munched on the cheese with excitement, swaying in her spot like a child. Not even a minute had passed, and she was already licking her fingers, cleaning herself of any residue of the moldy cheese. "Ahhh, that was great.

Callum's head shot up from the floor. "You finished it!" he incredulously asked.

"Aye," she looked down at Callum, letting her hand fall down to the floor to grace his fingers. "And thank ya. I know I'm being difficult."

"More than usual?" Callum mused. His finger suddenly felt tighter as a vice grip ensnared onto them. "Ow! Ow! Ow! _Kidding_! I'm kidding!" he shouted. Rayla released his fingers and chuckled. "Rayla, you know I wouldn't trade this," he placed his hand on her stomach as he sat up, "for anything. Not for a craving, not for my art, and especially not for some luxurious stay at the castle with… countless… armed hungry guards."

"What?"

"Nothing," Callum shook off. "By the way, Soren might visit tomorrow."

Rayla threw her head back and groaned. "Ugh, does that mean we're leaving tomorrow?"

Her husband laughed as he leaned down, pecking her forehead. "Whatever you want my Dear," he smiled against her skin. As he parted from her, he shot her a brow, "Now, speaking of wants, do you have anything else you require of me?"

Rayla opened her mouth, then silenced herself, settlin on shaking her head.

"You sure?

"Yup."

"Nothing at all"

"Nope."

"Okay, then… I'll get back to my sketching," Callum announced, making a break down the hall. A sense of relief finally overcame him as he sat down. His pencil in hand, he grazed his led against the outline of his recent sketch. It was a child. Hair was mid-length, bone and facial structure was average enough for the gender of the character to be determined. Of course he had no idea what their baby would look like, what they would set out to be, who they were, but he was inspired.

After all, it was his reminder: what all these cravings really were for at the end of the day.

"_Callum! I need you!"_

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**_A/N: yes, the baby is in fact Isha from the family AUs. I really like adding fun quirky things to their characters, especially Rayla's. Mainly because, she's so cool and I personally find it hilarious if she secretly had a bundle of quirks Callum has to get use to. Anyways, hope you all enjoyed!_**

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**_Review Responses:_**

**_Prophet21: _**_Thanks! Glad you liked it!_

**_Griff-FanFic1933:_**_ I'm glad you love the twists! I had a blast writing both of those oneshots, and well, the Childhood is a new favourite. I'm happy to hear you got some laughs out of it too! Children are very fun to write._

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_**Next prompt is The Baby. **_

**_Until next time,_**

**_\- Bleh_**


	38. Attention (Month Day 27)

_**A/N: Day 27, the baby. But of course, not just any baby...**_

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_**Chapter Summary: **__Callum didn't get jealous. Of course not. Because that would be absurd for him to be jealous of something he brought into the family._

_But boy, did that little dragon really soak up the attention._

**_Word Count: 1,819_**

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**Attention**

Callum didn't regret much in life.

He'd make plenty of bad choices, dozens of rash decisions, and several dumb ideas before. But, at the end, Callum wouldn't change any of them for anything because of what it turned out to be. He could only regret all the guilt he's accumulated. Him leaving his home with a stranger who he had just meant, who nearly killed him during their first encounter, with a half baked plan and the endangerment of his younger brother were clear tell tale signs not to even consider the choice. But yet, he accepted the task and left nearly without hesitation. And it led into the greatest adventure of his life.

So yeah, the first human Archmage found himself quite proud of the choices he'd made over the years.

Accept his most recent one.

"Da, ya see that!" Isha excitedly chirped.

"Of course Issy!" Callum plastered on a fake smile as he looked up from his sketchbook, directing over to his children in the yard. They were currently surrounding Zeusia, their newly adopted Sky Dragon, and overwhelming her with limitless joy. She hopped around the kids, showing off her wings as she had just recently learned how to fly. Another hop into the air, Zeusia twirled into a loop, landing back in front of the children.

Gasps of awe escaped them. "Da, did ya see _that_?" Lian shouted.

Callum nodded. "Yup!" he glanced down at his book, frowning at its emptiness. He hadn't intended to start sketching this afternoon, but distractions arose and the kids went off agenda. He would've pressed more, but he knew they were enjoying themselves so he bit his tongue. His frown shrunk more as he noticed the shadow growing onto his book. He turned his attention over to the treeline, where he realized the now setting sun was fast approaching. They burned the entire afternoon. He sighed. "Hey, uh, you wanna get started on training anytime soon?" he shouted at his daughter. "We're losing sun!"

"That's fine, we can practice Moon spells tonight too!" Isha laughed.

Sure, it was a full moon for the next three days, but Callum wasn't satisfied with such an easy workaround. Especially since they've already went over Moon spells last week. "But, I thought you wanted to practice Sky Magic?" he recalled with a pout. Yes, he was aware how pathetic and sad he sounded, but he didn't care.

"That's right!" his daughter's eyes lit up, rekindling the fire of excitement within him. "Da, can ya use some wind magic and make Zeusia do some cool tricks?" she asked with an eager smile.

Lian's head shot up from all the head patting he was giving Zeusia. "Yeah!" he exclaimed in joy. "Let's do it!"

"No!" Callum shouted, startling the two kids out of their joy. They stared at him in bewilderment, causing him to awkwardly clear his throat. "I mean, erm, it's… it's getting letting late. It's either we pack it in the evening after some practice, or you guys can keep playing with Zeusia. It's up to you."

The kids exchanged a glance, nodded with enthusiastic smiles. "We'll play with Zeusia!"

"Thanks Da!"

"Yeah, thanks Da!"

The children resumed in their playing, laughing as they ran around with the baby dragon, running in circles like there was no tomorrow. It was ridiculous. Callum's jaw dropped as he sunk back into his lounging chair. Was this what his afternoons at the winter lodge were going to be like?

"What happened?" Rayla asked upon exiting the lodge, book in hand with an apron wrapped around her waist.

"Oh, uh, nothing."

"I heard ya shout."

"Oh…" he seethed. "The uh, kids wanted to play with Zeusia for a bit. I just thought I'd remind Isha that we only have so much time before the day's over," he casually explained, easing himself into his seat. He attempted to assert as much comfortability as he could, but Rayla merely chuckled.

"Oh, well if all they're doing is playing with Zeusia they can stay out late!" she grinned as she looked at the three. "Just make sure to keep an eye on them while I cook dinner."

Callum's eyes went wide. For two reasons really. First off, she was really going to let a curfew slide like that just because of _Zeusa_? He understood they were only staying at the winter lodge, and there was next to no wildlife nearby, but really? And second of all… "You're cooking!" he said in alarm. He just realized the book in her hand was his recipe book. His eyes shot wide open as he noticed her glare. "I mean—"

"I can handle stew!" she argued, crossing her arms.

Callum nodded agreeingly. "Of course of course! But uh… why don't I just handle it?" he offered, rising up out of his seat as he reached for the book, slowly taking it out of her hand as her glare softened.

Rayla pouted as sighed. "Fine…" she relented, releasing her hold. "But only because that means I can play with Zeusia too!" she eagerly smiled as she began untying her arpon. Callum's face dropped into a frown as he watched her throw the apron in his face. "Can ya prep Zeusia's food too? There's a bowl of dried insects in the kitchen."

Callum sighed. "But… I…" his words died within the silence as he watched Rayla walk off. There was no sense in arguing, he had a dinner to unspoil.

::::

"Don't you think that's enough?"

The question had brought confusion to Rayla's face as she turned to face Callum. Stood in the living room, holding Zeusia in her arms, Rayla questioned with a laugh. "What?"

"It's late, the kids are already in bed," he gestured around them, "she clearly wants to sleep, so let her!"

Rayla's brows raised as she hoisted up Zeusia a smidge, adjusting her grip on the dragon. "Yeah, but she's also a baby, she needs to be coddled still."

Callum frowned. "But she's also a Sky Dragon. I think she can handle going to sleep on the bed _I_ got her all by herself." Rayla's face contorted into a look of realization; a smug grin grew on her lips as her eyes shrunk down into slits. Callum looked at her in annoyance. "What? What is it now?"

"Ya're jealous."

The appalled reaction that came after was priceless. "Wh-What! Jealous?" He scoffed. "Of what?"

Rayla laughed, startling the baby dragon in her arms and eliciting a confused smile out of her. "Ha! Ya are _so_ jealous! That's adorable!"

Callum's face flushed. He was not believing this. He was the first human Archmage, one of the heroes who helped end the war between nations, but yet he was still blushing like a little boy at the mere tease of jealousy. He was not jealous.

"Aww, so that's why ya were upset with Isha, ya wanted her to spend time with ya, and have Lian watch in the back?" she asked, "no doubt so ya could show off your 'cool' and 'wizardly' skills off to the kids?"

He opened his mouth to object but Rayla went on. "I was wondering why ya were so sour ever since we started staying here at the lodge! The kids have more space and time with Zeusia," her grin was ever growing, "But _ya_ want them to yourself!"

"No I—"

"And me too, _of course_," Rayla quickly added, nodding her head over to him, "because the kids are in bed, it's late, but not _too _late, and we're all alone in the living room." She laughed, swaying back and forth in her spot, smiling at Zeusia's warmful purring. "But of course, speculation, right?" she mused, "because ya're not—"

"Jealous? Of course not!" Callum dismissed, finally finding the words. "Why would I be jealous? It was my idea to adopt Zeusia! Give her a home! And I'm glad all the kids and even you are liking her! It's great!" He smiled, walking over to the two. He brought his hand up and started to pet Zeusia's head, erupting a low purr out of her. "She's a great addition to the family," he softly said.

Rayla smiled at him, turning her body a smidge just to nudge him with her elbow. "Hey, ya do know we love ya too right?"

He sighed, shoulders slumping. "Rayla, I was not jealous."

She backed off, shrugging her shoulders in innocence as she said, "Okay! Okay! If ya say so!" She started to hum a tune, attempting the baby Storm Dragon in her arms to a peaceful slumber. Callum joined in with her, placing himself behind her, her wrapped his arms around her waist and placed his chin on her shoulder. He hummed, following her rhythm, he let the vibrations of his throat tickle Rayla's skin. Soon enough, the dragon was asleep.

"Now, to bed?" her husband suggested.

"Of course," she whispered, turning over to kiss his cheek. "And by the way? Jealous Callum is still cute." She spun herself out of his arms, before he could even retort she lightly chuckled, careful not to wake the baby. She set Zeusia down in her small pillow-like bed beside the armchair, and turned back to Callum. "But who would've thought it, _another _master plan by the great Archmage Callum, backfiring against him?" she teased.

Callum frowned at her. "I had no _plan_. And nothing backfired. You love her, the kids love her, and I love her! It's a win win!"

Rayla nodded. "Of course it is darling," she winked, "but maybe next time try not to adopt somethin' cuter than ya?" She wandered off, strolling down the hall with a smug smile.

Callum rolled his eyes. "Har har. I know you married me for my looks!" he shouted. A low yawn purred out and Callum's face dropped. He turned to his left and saw, right in the little bed, Zeusia was back up, eyes slowly blinking open from the sudden startle. "Wait, wait, wait," he softly said, "go back to sleep!" His pleading fell on deaf ears, especially for a pair of highly tuned ones, as two doors from upstairs suddenly opened. Then out emerged the kids.

"Da?" Isha groggily called out, "why ya shouting?"

"Oh? Are ya playing with Zeusia by yourself?" Lian asked, pointing at his father's feet, where suddenly the Sky Dragon had appeared and began rubbing herself against his shins. "No fair! Ya told us to go to bed so ya can hog her all to yourself!"

"Yeah, time to share Da!"

Callum shook his head as he looked down the hall, watching Rayla bid him a farewell kiss as she disappeared into their bedroom, shutting the door behind her. He laughed to himself. She could tease all she wanted. But he knew she was waiting for him.

It was her turn to be little spoon after all.

* * *

**_A/N: So this probably takes place a few weeks after the "New Addition" oneshot for Rayllum week. I thought I'd keep the theme of making prompts that somewhat coincide or relate to similar prompts from the Rayllum week, and just expand on or make 'em into twoshots. This was fun. Mainly because I've never done a soft and cute jealousy plot before. Hope you all liked it!_**

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**_Review Response:_**

**_Prophet21: _**_Oh buddy, with only four oneshots left, not much left to really spice up! So be ready for some good ol' fluffness! _

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**_Next prompt is The Dinner, College AU!_**

**_Until next time,_**

**_\- Bleh_**


	39. The Dinner - College AU (Month Day 28)

_**A/N: Day 28 - the dinner. And a College AU? oooooh...**_

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_**Chapter Summary: **__After an insistent and repetitive demand, Callum caved and accepted Rayla's request. It was time to meet his family. College AU._

_**Word Count: 4,135**_

* * *

**Dinner**

"Just so you know, for the record of course, I am totally getting you back for this."

Rayla laughed, hooking her thumbs into the pockets of her dark grey jeans. "And for the _actual_ record? This is happenin' 'cause ya forgot to tell me a _very_ important detail about your father," she fired back, dropping her amusement into a serious stare.

Callum sighed as he led her up the sidewalk. "I didn't forget! I just…"

"Forgot."

"Okay maybe, but… it didn't seem important at all!" Callum argued in his defence, looking back at Rayla with a shrug.

She scoffed. "Oh yeah, definitely not," she sarcastically replied, following him into the walkway leading up to the house. It was a two story suburban house, not exactly far away from Katolis, just a train ride away. A nice spacey front yard, with a tended field of grass, and pretty standard complexion of warm toned colours all around. "Not like it's important knowing that your newest friend's da is your football coach," she deadpanned, shooting his back an unamused stare.

Callum winced as he stopped in his tracks, turning back at her with an apologetic smile. "Okay, but like, when should've I mentioned it?"

"How 'bout when we first met?" Rayla suggested. She shifted to her right, facing nowhere in particular, she said as she held her hand out, "'Rayla. Quarterback,'" she shifted to the left, facing where she just was and sticking out her other hand, "'Callum. Artist. Oh and, that's cool, ya're in my Da's football team!'" she said in a mock American accent, heavily enunciating with a Texan style as she shook her hands with the air.

Callum snorted. "Oh sure, because _that_ was my main concern the first time we met." He shook his head. "Not, 'Oh great, socializing!'" His smile dropped as he shot her curious look. "Wait, you remember word for word how we met?"

Rayla's face flushed as she narrowed her brows. "How would ya know if I remembered word for word? Last I checked photographic memory didn't include audio."

He laughed. "Sorry, didn't know my diagnosis had rules."

"Aye, like selectively forgetting to tell someone who literally spends over three hours a practice with their da, that they're spending three hours a practice with _their_ _da_," she dropped into loud emphasis.

The door whipped open, revealing a copper skinned man dressed in a pair of beige khaki shorts, a gray Katolis sweatshirt with the school emblem plastered on the front. He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe, letting his dreadlocks fall down to his shoulders. With a smug smile, he raised a brow at the two. "So… are you coming in?" he inquired, nodding his head inside. "Or would you prefer to have your shouting match out in the open for the whole neighbourhood to see?"

Their faces flushed, Callum whipped his head around to shoot Rayla a glare, before taking her hand and leading her up to the steps. "Fine, fine, we're coming in."

"Good to see you too son," Harrow laughed, patting his shoulder as he walked inside.

Rayla stopped as she reached inside, turning back at Harrow with a smile. "Evenin' Coach," she offered a two fingered salute.

"Evening Rayla," he greeted with an amused smile. "I'm happy say Callum's finally decided to introduce you to us." He glanced over at his son. "Because lord knows how long he's kept us in the dark."

"Feeling's mutual," Rayla agreed, shooting the boy a glare.

Callum sighed. "Dad, where's Mum?" he asked, hoping to change the subject.

"Kitchen, just finishing up dessert," his father answered. "Ez is in there with her, helping."

Callum grinned. "Helping? Or," he raised his fingers, "'helping'?"

Harrow laughed. "If you're asking whether or not he's finished the desserts? Last I saw there was a full plate."

Callum breathed a feigned sigh of relief. "Oh great, I wanted Ray to try Mum's famous jelly tarts!" He took Rayla's hand and nodded over to the kitchen area. "We'll be back."

"I'll be in the living room if you need me!" Harrow's voice rung out.

"We won't!" Callum shouted back.

Rayla laughed as she let Callum lead her down the hall. "Oh relax, we weren't gonna tease ya for that long."

He shook his head. "You just demonstrated one of the perfect reasons as to why I was dreading this meeting."

She laughed again. "Oof, no need to be so dramatic."

They came to a stop just outside a white door. Rayla noticed a sweet aroma in the air and began sniffing. It was really sweet, and fresh. It must've been the dessert Callum was talking about. The door pushed open, revealing a large beautiful kitchen. It was small, very quaint and crowded, but it looked amazing. The island in the centre was a light grey marble covered in plates of what she assumed was the jelly tart. Sat at the stool, was a young boy. He had a large brown fro of hair, and wore an unzipped red hoodie with a pair of camo joggers. He had his hand on the top pile reaching for the highest and most fresh treat.

"Ez, save it for dinner," came a voice from beyond the island. Right at the stove, stood a beautiful woman dressed in a simple white sunflower dress, with a maroon apron tied around her waist. She turned around and smiled. "And speaking of dinner," she rushed over to Callum, embracing him in bear hug, "oh my boy, I missed you so much!"

"Mom, I visit like, every other week." Callum laughed, attempting to pull himself free of his mother's hold.

Rayla was smiling at their joyful reunion, but immediately lost all warmth as she soaked in Callum's words. "So that's why ya go missing every other Sunday?" Rayla questioned. "It never once crossed your mind during all those times that, 'Hey, I should probably tell Rayla 'bout my da'?"

Callum seethed, shrugging at the girl as his mother finally released him. "Oooh, you must be Rayla!" she held out her hand. "Katolis' star Quarterback!"

Rayla's brow went up as she shook her hand. "Uhh, yeah. Ya watch our games?"

"Oh of course! Gotta support my husband somehow," she exclaimed. She leaned in and whispered, "He gets all grumpy when I don't show."

Rayla laughed. "That would explain a lot of games," she smiled, "I just always assumed he wasn't satisfied."

"Hardly ever is," the woman teased.

The two erupted into a fit of soft laughter, before a timer went off. "Oh, the last batch is done. Ezran, why don't you help me move these onto the table?"

Ezran groaned as he moved off his stool. "Why can't Callum do it?"

"Because he's going to be too busy showing his guest around the house!"

Callum's eyes went wide. "I am?"

"You are."

He released a tired sigh as he took Rayla's hand. "C'mon Ray, I guess I'm… showing you around." He led her out of the room, and down the hall. Rayla's attention flew down to his hand. He was holding her hand a lot more recently. And she wasn't objecting at all. She liked it in fact. Callum's hands felt… nice. She could feel the calloused and strain within his hands, the hours spent sketching and fine tuning his work. But she also felt warm. It was a strange feeling. She had held his hand before, in fact, she was usually the one who initiated their contact. But she hadn't really considered how it felt until Callum started doing it. It was—

"Ray?"

Her gaze flew up. They were still inside the hall, just near the base of the stairs. "Uh, yeah?"

"I was saying, I'm not taking you to my room," he released her hand—much to her disappointment—and crossed his arms.

She pouted. "Why not?"

"Because I already agreed to introduce you to my parents, I don't need you seeing anymore ammo to use against me." He narrowed a brow, challenging her.

She laughed, waving her hand. "Oh relax! I just really wanted to meet your family!"

"You see my dad nearly everyday."

"Your _entire_ family," Rayla added. "C'mon, no harm in that!" she leaned back, placing her weight against a small wooden table up against the wall. Her head rose in confusion, realizing there was a random piece of furniture nearby. She turned around and her face widened in joy. Atop the table, sat a display of photos. Family photos and all the usual cliches, but her attention flew to Callum's photo. A picture of him, probably ten or nine years old, wearing a Ravenclaw robe and holding a _very_ detailed wand in his hands. He had the biggest grin a child could ever muster as he held up a large bag in his other hand. "Oh… my… goodness."

Callum rushed over to snatch the picture frame, but Rayla beat him to it. Picking it up as she looked at it for closer inspection. "Did ya make the wand yourself?"

"Yes, I did," Callum muttered.

"Are ya actually Ravenclaw? I'm a Gryffindor!" Rayla looked back at him with an excited smile. "Can ya make me a wand?"

He chuckled. "As long as we stay here."

Rayla snorted. "Deal," she set the picture frame back down. "Ya should totally dress up again for the Halloween party this year."

"That's months away."

"So? We can plan in advance!" Rayla declared.

He shot her a brow. "What happened to Cowboy Jock?"

"I'll do that some other time," she waved off. "Besides, I want an excuse to flash a wand around. C'mon!"

Callum rolled his eyes. "I'll think about it."

"Congrats Rayla," Harrow's voice chimed in. The two flew their attention down the hall, where they found the man leaning up against the wall and smiling down at them. "You've convinced him to dress up again! Poor Ez never managed to get him to dress up when he goes trick or treating."

Rayla gasped. "Callum, not even for your little brother."

"I grew out of it—"

Another gasp. "Ya've disappointed me," she shook her head.

Harrow laughed. "Hopefully you can convince him to stop by more often."

Callum groaned. "I visit on a bi-weekly basis! What more do you people want from me!"

"For now? Your butts at the table," Harrow grinned, "Dinner's ready. C'mon."

With a smug smirk, Rayla walked passed Callum, satisfied with his annoyed face. The three made their way into the dining room, and Rayla's mouth dropped. Their table was littered with food. Steaks, chicken, piles of bacon, a side assortment of mashed potatoes, and four plates of jelly tarts. It was crowded. "Uhh, wow," she nervously chuckled, making her way to a free seat. "Is this all for me? Because um," her gaze flew over to Harrow, "Ya usually want us in good shape Coach." She pulled out her chair and sat down. "And I have a feeling I won't be able to move after this."

Harrow laughed as he moved to the head of the table. "Oh relax Rayla! This is how we eat on a regular basis!"

Her eyes went wide. "Really?" she looked to Callum, who was moving to sit beside her. Rayla sputtered at his casual nod. This was an insane array of meals. She looked up, noticing across from her, sat Callum's mother and his little brother.

"Alright! Let's dig in!" Harrow announced as he sat down.

Rayla hadn't remembered a time when she had such a large amount of home cooked food available. She watched on as Callum's family began filling up their plates. She noticed Ezran seemed like the biggest eater out of everyone, having at least one of everything stacked atop his plate. "Is everything okay Rayla?" Callum's mother spoke up. "Nothing you like here?"

"Oh uhh, it's not that ma'am—"

"Please, call me Sarai," she quickly suggested.

"Right," she nervously grinned, "I just don't know where to start." Harrow and Sarai laughed, leaving her to chuckle alongside them. She settled on a two steaks and some mashed potatoes.

"Do you not cook?" Sarai questioned.

Rayla laughed. "I wish," she quickly sliced up a piece of steak and popped it into her mouth.

Callum leaned forward. "Rayla's on scholarship, so she can spend as much as she wants," he teased.

She retorted with a swift elbow to his side. "I _do_ not!"

He laughed. "She practically orders food every other day," Callum explained.

Sarai grinned. "Well, if you ever want a home cooked meal or a few lessons, stop on by!" she suggested.

Callum seized chewing as Rayla's eyes went wide. "Seriously?"

"Aye! It'd be fun!" she nodded.

"I'll… I might take ya up on that some time," Rayla grinned.

A comfortable silence dwelled as the five continued eating. Rayla was amazed at how quickly Ezran finished half his plate, and still looked hungry for more. Harrow seemed to take things slow and simple, but he was enjoying his pace and his plate nonetheless. She noticed similarities with Callum and Sarai, they both took large portions but selectively ate at a casual pace.

"Ez, don't eat like that, you'll scare off Rayla," Harrow jested, noting how quickly his youngest scarfed down his last steak.

"If she can handle tackles from dudes two times her size," he swallowed his mouthful, "then she can watch me eat."

Rayla laughed. "It's fine," she assured Coach Harrow. "I'm impressed actually. I don't think I've seen someone eat faster than ya." Ezran smiled with his stuffed cheeks. She laughed again. "How do ya keep a small frame? I'd be bloated after daily meals like these."

"Oh, I dance!" Ezran cheered, lifting his knife high. "You ever see one of those online dance choreography classes?" Rayla nodded. "Yeah I take classes like those."

Rayla's jaw dropped as she turned to Callum. "For real?"

Callum laughed. "I never denied he _didn't_ have a YouTube channel. Because he technically doesn't. It's the studio's, but he just participates sometimes."

Rayla pointed her fork at him and smiled, "Remind me to get your Instagram _and_ channel name. I'm following ya."

Ezran laughed. "Thanks! Now if you could convince _someone_ else to do so," his gaze flew over to Callum, who was currently enjoying his mashed potatoes.

Rayla gasped as she leaned over. "Ya don't follow your brother?"

"On YouTube I do!" Callum argued.

"Ya just said that's not his, ya should follow him on Instagram!"

"You _know_ I don't use instagram."

"Your whole anti-social media shtick makes no sense," Rayla rolled her eyes, "How can ya spread your art if ya don't let people see it?"

"I have a Tumblr."

"Get Twitter and Insta too! Ya'll _double_ your followers!"

"I already have a following," Callum dismissed.

Rayla scoffed. "Uhh yeah, on _one_ platform."

"I meant real life," he corrected, shooting her a raised brow. "Or did you think I forget you're my number one fan?" he teased.

She scowled at him, bumping her shoulder in retaliation. "Oh shut up," she laughed.

"Your words, not mine."

"I said _fan_, not number one," she corrected. She flicked his forehead. "Ya must be dreaming."

"If I was dreaming I'd be in my art studio," Callum mused.

Rayla feigned a pout. "Aww, ya mean dinner with me and your family isn't nice?" She turned back and smiled at Harrow. "Uh oh Coach, sounds like this one might be a problem child," she whispered, jerking her thumb over to Callum. Her smile faded as she noticed Callum's parents both staring at her, wearing big grins. Or rather, the "Dumb Callum Grin" as she deemed it. "What?" she reached for a napkin and began wiping her mouth. "Somethin' on my face?"

"Oh, no, no, nothing," Harrow dismissed.

"Yeah, it's just, you two are good for each other," Sarai smiled, "I'm glad to see Callum's branched out of his social bubble for once."

Rayla threw a smug look at the aforementioned son, watching his head lean back as he groaned, "Moooom."

"Sorry Sweetie but it _is_ true." Sarai giggled. "You used to hang around Soren and Claudia like they were your only life support system."

"More like they used to follow me around," Callum muttered.

Rayla chuckled. "I believe both sides of that story," she mused, earning some laughs from Callum's family.

"Yeah, he only hung out with me or them," Ezran chirped up. He cupped his hand over his mouth and whispered to Rayla, "But I could tell he liked hanging out with me more!"

Rayla laughed, shooting him a wink. "Of course he would, little dude," she acknowledged. Turning back to Harrow, she decided to run with this conversation. "Soren told me ya were friends with his father?"

"Viren? Oh yeah," Harrow nodded. "He's a family friend. Good one to us." He lifted his glass of water up to his lips. "His kids went to the same high school as Callum, and we were new in the community so he suggested a barbecue," he said before sipping.

"He wanted to show off his mansion," Sarai explained, "and Harrow wanted an excuse to eat at a rich person's house." Harrow choked on his drink, earning a smug smile from his wife.

"Not true!" he hastily argued.

"It's fine Coach, I'm not judging!" Rayla assured him. She turned to Callum. "So does that mean ya were stuck with those two for four years?"

Callum frowned. "Now you understand my pain," he tiredly said.

She laughed, bumping her shoulder against his. "Good thing I came along when I did, eh?" The two shared a warm smile at each other.

Unnoticed by them, Harrow and Sarai exchanged a knowing look at each other whilst Ezran faked a gag. Sarai cleared her throat, removing their trance in one another. "So, when did this happen?" she asked, gesturing between the two.

Rayla tilted her head, confused by her question. Was it a typical thing for parents to ask when you made a new friend? "At a party," Callum explained, leaving her to assume it was normal after all.

Harrow's eyes went wide. "A party? Callum? At a party?"

"I was taken against my will," he monotonously corrected. His parents laughed. "I was on my way out but Rayla stopped me. She claimed I needed a bodyguard if I was gonna walk to my studio all by myself."

Rayla shrugged as she saw her coach's smile flying toward her. It made her blush. "Had to keep an eye on him."

"Because you're a fan," he hurriedly said, masking it under a cough.

She shot him a glare. "Oi, knock it off."

"You're a fan?" Sarai inquired. "Of what?"

"Umm…" her cheeks suddenly felt hotter for some reason. "Of his art." His parent's faces shifted into surprise, but it looked like a pleasant surprise. "Yeah I uh… I go to our campus' art galleries. I like lookin' at all the showcases." She proudly smiled, because she wasn't exactly ashamed to admit liking art, especially Callum's no less. She turned to Callum and added, "I got hooked onto his greatest works! He's real talented."

Sarai seemed proud at her words, looking onto her son with a warm smile. "I know. I'm glad he's found someone who appreciates his work too." Rayla's smile slowly started dying down as she considered Sarai's words. The way his parents were speaking, their excited tones and looks, did they think… "I think you're a good match for our son."

Rayla's eyes went wide. They totally did think that. Her face flushed as she looked to Callum, who startled himself into a coughing fit, spitting out a chunk of chicken. Rayla nervously laughed as she shook her head, sputtering out, "W-Wait, we're not, he and I are… we're—"

"Just friends," Callum hoarsely stated, gasping for air as he reached for his glass of water.

Sarai and Harrow glanced at each other in shock, whilst Ezran scoffed. "Suuuuure," he sarcastically quipped as he piled some jelly tarts onto his plate.

"Really?" Harrow asked.

"But I thought you said you got together at that party?" Sarai recalled.

"We _met_ at the party Mom," Callum corrected. "And we've been friends since then. _Friends_," he heavily stressed.

Rayla rapidly nodded in agreement. "Yeah! He and I are… not together, no way," she shook her head. "Not that I think your son _isn't_ a catch! I do, he's great!" She glanced over to him, noticing he was suddenly red too. Oh she wasn't helping, was she? "I mean, obviously but like, we're just good friends is all."

"Yeah," Callum coughed. "Friends."

"Exactly," she nodded. "Friends."

Sarai and Harrow exchanged one more look before shrugging. "I see," Sarai stated. "Well, sorry I assumed!" She chuckled. "It's just that, my son doesn't have friends over and never introduces anyone, so imagine our surprise when he randomly suggests having a girl over for dinner!"

Callum raised a brow. "But… what if it was a guy?"

Sarai shot him a knowing look. "Would've thought the same either way," she winked.

Rayla's gaze flew between Callum and Sarai, searching for answers within their conversation. All she found was a small smile coming from Callum whilst Sarai looked back to Rayla.

"Either way, sorry for jumping to conclusions," Sarai apologized.

"Oh, don't worry 'bout it," Rayla quickly assured. "It… it's not a big deal."

"I just assumed judging from the way you and Soren were talking in the field that day," Harow pointed out. "Your conversation seemed to be about Callum. I wasn't exactly paying attention, but it sounded like he was—"

"Oh right, right," Rayla cut him off, looking over at Callum's confusion. "Nah, Soren just had the same conclusion as ya two." She coughed. "But um, yeah, the main reason I wanted to come over is just," she looked to Harrow, "Callum never told me ya were his dad. It wasn't until that day on the field when ya shouted it that I learned."

Harrow laughed as he looked to his son. "Seriously? You didn't think to fill in your new friend that her coach was your dad?"

"Thank ya!" Rayla exclaimed.

Callum sighed. "It slipped my mind."

"Important detail regardless," Sarai scolded.

He rolled his eyes. "This was what I was worried about. All of you ganging up on me, working against me!"

"So you only just learned recently I'm his step-father?" Harrow asked.

Rayla nodded. "He's failed to mention it anytime before."

"We're studying why would I distract us?"

"Ya know for a fact we _barely_ study," she quipped back.

"I forgot too, remember, it just never came up!"

"And what about all those times ya visit before practice?"

Callum waved his hand. "You're psyching yourself up, I try focusing on not distracting you."

"Ya always distract me," Rayla teased.

"Wait, wait," Harrow spoke up. "You came to a _football_ practice?"

"He watched a few games too," Rayla chimed in.

Shock overwhelmed the man as he looked to Callum. "Well I'll be… never thought I'd see the day!" He laughed. "Someone managed to convince Callum to not only come to our football games, but our practices too?"

"Hey, she goes to my art galleries," Callum defended, jerking a thumb over to her, "might as well return the sentiment."

"Oh of course, of course," Harrow agreed, nodding dramatically. Sarai slapped his shoulder, signalling him to knock it off. He rolled his eyes. "Well regardless, I'm happy to hear it."

Callum shook his head, leaning over to Rayla as he whispered, "Now look at what you've done."

"Payback," she winked at him. "Next time, share important details."

He turned his attention over to the stack of jelly tarts. "Fine, here's an important detail," he picked up a tart and placed it on Rayla's finished plate, "These, are the best desserts you'll ever have. Guaranteed."

Rayla raised a brow as she picked it up. She scanned the table, noticing everyone staring at her in anticipation, waiting for her to take a bite. It must've been really good then. But then again, this was also coming from a man who liked Coffee Crisp, so Rayla braced herself regardless. She took a big bite, and her eyes widened. This… was _really_ good. Her reaction must have been big as she heard the family chuckling at her.

She chewed the piece with excitement, savouring the food. She noticed the rest of the family began taking their own jelly tarts, regardless of whether or not they were finished their meals. As they ate in a collective silence, Rayla smiled. This was really nice. All of it.

She swallowed her food and wore a sheepish smile, glancing at Sarai. "Uhh, Sarai?" she spoke up, gathering the woman's attention. "Can I get… like a dozen to go?"

She could get used to this.

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_**A/N: Holy cow did this end up waaaaaayy longer than I expected. It kinda ended weird too, but I had fun writing. Also, I'd like to address a collective confusion incase no one was aware: I'm not stopping MBtMS after Rayllum month. I meant last chapter that Rayllum month was coming to a close, but this collection story will still go on. After Rayllum month, this will be on hiatus-more details will be revealed on the 31st post, the actual end. So yeah, don't worry I'm not stopping this!**_

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_**Review Responses:**_

_**Prophet21: **Fret not! I'll make them as good as I can!_

**_Griff-FanFic1933: _**_Yeah, Callum's such a soft boy it's hilarious to write. Glad you liked it!_

**_SassySapphire:_**_ I already addressed this in the A/N above, but I just wanted to say it again. Don't worry! The ride's far from over!_

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**_Next prompt is music! _**

**_Until next time,_**

**_\- Bleh_**


	40. Takes Two to Tango (Month Day 29)

_**A/N: Day 29, music. Because I promised a Rayllum dance...**_

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_**Chapter Summary:**__The celebration of the war coming to an end of course had to spark one of the biggest and brightest festivals any of the nations had ever seen. Two nations, now joined in bonds, celebrate with a demonstration of shared culture and music. Bonds between borders. And a dance, for two._

_**Word Count: 1,867**_

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**Takes Two to Tango**

Music. The entire town was echoing with music. When Callum told Rayla that they should hold off on returning to Xadia just for a few days, she was skeptical. She knew he wanted to celebrate, to relax and enjoy the atmosphere before they returned to Zym and his mother, but she was still anxious to go. Maybe it was because she still felt uneasy. Maybe it was because she still wasn't exactly comfortable in human kingdoms. Or maybe it was because she couldn't believe they _ended_ a war.

She was still on edge. Callum could tell. She could tell he could tell. He had repeatedly tried to tell her that everything was fine, everything was okay. He told her that he was going to be by her side all the time. Regardless of the stares or how strange it would seem—she knew he would be by her side. So when they finally reached town, after taking a carriage ride from the castle—an experience Rayla had never gotten the luxury of—she was met with a town's full of music.

An elegant, whistling tune sung throughout the town as drums and horns sounded off as the base. Rayla smiled. Nerves be damned, this was amazing.

"Told you," Callum smugly smiled, nudging her with his elbow. He was wearing a dark blue coat, it was fitted around his form, buttoned up to his collarbone. He still wore his red scarf and gloves, but also had a pair of dark blue pants to match his look, with a pair of black boots. He looked beautiful. They had barely aged in their travels, but he had grown in many ways. "It's nice right?"

She smiled. "It is," she nodded. "Ya look amazing by the way. I know I forgot to say it back at the castle—"

"It's fine," he waved off. "And you, are… stunning," he smiled.

She felt her face flush at his words, causing her to glance down at her dress. It was a royal blue dress, with a violet highlighted frills that ended at her shins. The dress hugged her waist and exposed her backside, with her sleeves running down with a light violet coat, ending at her wrists, with her ring fingers caught in the hem of her sleeves. She did a small twirl, just to show off her design. It was amazing what the Katolis seamstresses were capable of. "Thank ya," she smiled, coming to a stop.

"Now," he held out his arm, "shall we?"

Rayla smiled at him as she looped her arm through his, "We shall."

The two began walking through town, taking in the scenery. It was amazing. Everywhere they looked, everyone was wearing warm colours and were illuminated by the bright lantern lights hung across the town. There were stares like they expected. None of real disgust, but rather shock and surprise. The prince of Katolis strolling through the Celebration Festival with not just an elf, but a Moonshadow Elf as his date? It was hilarious to see their faces. The bewilderment and shock simply elicited smiles out of the two.

"See? Not so bad," Callum told her.

"With ya? Nothin's too bad," she smiled.

They continued their walk, soaking up the scenery as they walked by. Soon enough, the music grew louder as lights blew up in colour. They were approaching on the town square. It was a heavily crowded. But not in a bad way. There was still enough room to walk about, to stop at the food stalls, and even a space in the dead centre for dancing. There was a stage, right near the statue of what Callum had informed her to be Sarai. She couldn't help but smile at the sight. It was beautiful.

"Care for a dance?" Callum offered, removing his arm from her hold to hold out his hand.

Rayla grinned. "I'd love to," she answered. Delicately placing her fingers in his grasp, he led her down the square, gently pushing through the crowd. Soon enough, people realized who he was and were gobsmacked to see him, here, in the town square, rather than the castle. Nonetheless, they all stepped aside and made way for the couple. Awes of wonder and curiosity echoed about as they complimented the two.

"What a lovely dress."

"What a dashing young man."

"She's beautiful."

"He looks so handsome."

"An amazing couple!"

"They're the ones who ended the war, right?"

The two laughed to themselves as they suddenly found the centre. Clearing his throat, Callum stepped back and took a bow, holding his hand out once more. Rayla giggled, she hadn't felt so ladylike in a long time. She did a courtesy, elegant and poised, and took his hand. Callum stepped forward as he placed his right hand on her back, and held her right with his left. Rayla smiled into his gaze, firmly placing her right hand on his shoulder, the two began to dance.

Two steps forward, Callum smiled at her as he led her through. They stepped to the side, matching the pacing of the elegant tune and freeing sounds. They were more relaxed about their movements, swaying their bodies as they cycled back into repetition. Callum was smiling at her like an idiot. A big dumb idiot.

She couldn't fight off her blush or her grin, and she didn't really care. Rayla noticed she was smiling a lot more now. Not that she wasn't before. But now? It was more easy. It was more refreshing. And it was because of Callum, that she could do it. She soaked in his gaze, mesmerized by his grassy green eyes and the way they burrowed into her heart. They sold the story without words. He loved being with her. He loved being in her presence. He loved her company. He loved her.

She giggled once again, smiling at how clearly smitten he was with her. "What's so funny?" he asked as they maneuvered themselves throughout the dance floor. The other dancers began making way for them, opening the floor for the onlookers to watch in awe. She knew he wanted to show off.

And she wasn't going to stop him.

"Nothin'," she shrugged, still smiling.

He chuckled as he rolled his eyes. "You were thinking about something cheesy, weren't you?"

She laughed. "Shut up and spin me, I know ya're dyin' to," she teased.

He obliged with ease. Dropping his right hand down to her hip, he lifted his left hand, guiding her into a twirl. She followed through, spinning under his hand and unravelling herself outward, letting her dress' frills twirl like a flower pattern. She smiled at the starstruck gazes fallen upon them, and eased herself back into Callum's arms. Her back against his chest, Callum's hands found hers as they casually swayed about, his breath breathing down her cheek. She smiled at him, finding his eyes over her shoulder, they continued to sway. It was a hilarious sight. Considering how she practically taller than him even without the horns, having him hold her in his arms probably looked amusing to everyone else.

But it must've been the spectacle of the sight that made them bite back their laughter. Callum _knew_ how to dance. That much was certain. Rayla had learned before, but having a partner like him really made things feel more natural. It felt smooth, flawless and clean, the way they moved. Like every step and sway was rhythmically matched to the music's tune. It was perfect.

"Ya never told me ya could dance," Rayla teased.

"I'm a prince, ballroom dancing was practically something I learned after table manners," he joked. "But you on the other hand?" he inquired, lifted up his left hand again and twirled her around, two rotations this time, just to show off a little bit more. "Since when?" he asked as she returned, her left hand back on his shoulder whilst her right fell into its soft grasp.

She grinned. "Runaan."

His brow went up.

"I caught him and his boyfriend dancing once and my curious lil' self wanted to know how do it." She shrugged. "My village's had festivals before… but I never went…"

Callum's curiosity persisted. "No one to go with or… too busy?"

Rayla shrugged once more as they swayed around; two steps back, two steps to her right. "Too busy… and really, not interested." She laughed. "It looked fun when Runaan was doing it, the music and the movement, the synchornization between two partners? It felt… right. Like fighting, but more choreographed, and relax." He looked at her, eyes still curious and ears still open. He always looked so passionate and attentive whenever she talked about herself. "But when I tried it I…" she made an unsure frown as she thoughtfully looked up, "thought it was kinda… meh." Her grin returned as she met Callum's eyes. "But now? I'm thinking it's just cause I never had the right partner."

Callum's smile grew at that. Yeah, she knew she was boosting his ego but she loved doing it. He always got so giddy and excited about things when his confidence was through the roof. Who knew dancing would be on that list? She should've figured, in all honesty. "Well, I'm glad you enjoy this dance then."

She giggled for what felt like the billionth time that night. He made her feel so free, so comforted. "I'd enjoy anythin' as long as it's with ya."

Callum beamed at her words. "Good to hear. Because after this, it sounds like we've got a lot of business to do."

"Aye, wars over, but the peace's gotta be maintained," Rayla pointed out.

"Together though."

She nodded. "Of course. Together."

Her right hand slowly slid out his grasp, trickling down his arm and onto his shoulder. She held his shoulders with firm but soft embrace, resting her head into his chest as she did so. She could feel Callum smile against her hair, relaxing his arms down to her hips as he held her close. He hummed along with the music, bringing them to a near halt. They stood there, dancing softly and slowly. It was nice.

A nice moment after all the pain and hardship they'd overcome in the past year. It was a nice feeling to have after all the sorrowful scars that plagued their bodies as time went on. It was a nice breath of fresh air after all the near death experiences. After all the dead silence and nature filled background, with only themselves and baby Dragon to talk to, hearing and _feeling_ an entire town's presence was amazing.

Rayla sighed in content, closing her eyes and letting herself succumb to the soft spoken elegance of the subtle flute playing in the background. The violins that chirped around the square, carefully and meticulously strung around through her highly trained ears. And the soft beating of the drums, bold and boisterous but fitting. It was hardly a song for ballroom dancing. Hardly a song for two people to cosy up with.

But they didn't care.

Not for the stares.

Not for the world.

Not for the moment.

But only for each other.

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_**A/N: I know, I used tango in the title when they really did more of a waltz, but whatever! It was sweet, and cute, and I'm satisfied! I thought the music prompt would work best with dancing, so that's why I made ball into something goofy. Because dancing's all about connection to the music and feeling the flow. Ballroom dancing's sorta the same thing, more formal, but also about feeling your partner. Right now, these two feel and understand each other the most, so of course they'd dance in synch.**_

_**Also, gotta say, this is insane. 40 chapters. 40 oneshots. 40 stories? That's a lot. I gotta say thanks to all of you guys, your help and support's the only thing that makes me write! That and because I love writing. Well, your comments, reviews, and appreciation (yes I know those are all technically the same thing shush) are what remind me the reason why I love writing. Telling stories, fascinating readers, it's an amazing feeling. So as much as you guys love and appreciate me, give some love for yourself and each other. Nothing I wrote would be as great as you make it out to be if it weren't for you guys. Thanks! **_

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_**Review Responses:**_

_**Prophet21: **Glad you found it funny! I had a blast writing the dialogue!_

**_Griff-FanFic1933:_**_ Those two will realize it the day I die. And of course everyone else around them sees it before them._

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_**Tomorrow's prompt is romantic flight! again, no twisties!**_

_**Until next time,**_

_**\- Bleh**_


	41. Love is in the Air (Month Day 30)

_**A/N: Day 30 - romantic flight. Yes, I can follow prompts!**_

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_**Chapter Summary: **__He was a sap. She knew it, he knew it. She loved, he knew she loved it. So that's why he always went for big gestures._

_**Word Count: 2,444**_

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**Love is in the Air**

"So, wanna tell me why exactly we're taking such a long stroll outta town?" Rayla inquired with a teasing tone, "especially through some dark and mysterious forest?"

"I told you, it's a surprise," Callum informed, happily swinging their intertwined hands as they walked. "Besides, if I recall, 'dark and mysterious forest' isn't exactly something that strikes fear into your heart."

"That one was illusions," she reminded him, "And that weird worm monster was hardly frightening as was disgusting."

"If I recall, you were the one screaming for help when all those bugs started crawling up all over you."

"Ya try having thousands of creepy crawlies up your skin, then see if ya don't scream for help!" she shot back.

"Fair point, fair point," Callum agreed, nodding his head.

"Was this surprise just an excuse for another one of your annoying teasing onslaughts? Because I'd rather do paperwork." Callum laughed as they walked on. Rayla was starting to notice that they were meeting a small incline, and that it was getting a bit brighter, most likely because wherever they were, the trees had enough parting to allow the streams of moonlight to glisten through.

"No, no, no," Callum denied, "This… is for us." His voice dripped into a deep tone of dramatic pause, entailing something else was at play.

Rayla wanted to ask, but she stopped as she noticed his gazes shining up the hill before them. Her eyes blew up as her mouth dropped to the ground. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. A large sky blue dragon perched at the edge of the cliff. His scales were fully armoured and rough, like the tests of time had done battle with its skin. His tail swung slowly and gracefully, letting the flow of the soft spoken wind graze past its hair. Hair of which that gleamed like a milky white sheet, reflecting the gaze of the moon of its blankness, he had a mane of white fur ruffled throughout his head with two sets of sharp horns sprouting out from his head. Callum whistled, collecting the creature's attention over to the two. He turned to face the two, staring at them with a pair of large, pearly blue eyes and revealing his small flowing white beard under his chin.

Callum chuckled as he released her hand, walking up to the dragon, he waved. "Hey Zym! Long time no see!"

Rayla's eyes began to water. It was him. It had been _years_ since she had last seen the creature. Time had flown by, important missions and business had arose, and Zym was off maintaining peace throughout Xadia—she just hadn't had the time to make her way out to him. But he was here. Right in front of her. And he looked… amazing.

"Wow…" Rayla spoke. "Ya… ya look like a king!"

Callum laughed, as Zym released a low growl of laughter, smiling at her. "That's what I said!" Callum chirped up.

"Wow…" she rushed over to the large dragon's paw. Running her hands through it she felt his scaly paw, the roughness and age was all there. He felt so different. But his eyes, it was very him. He looked down at her, letting his beard trickle down to the grass at her feet, he met her eyes and smiled. She laughed as she smiled back. That smile… it was him. "Look at ya… ya're all grown up." He released a low purr as he lowered his head, allowing her to caress his face. She giggled. "Ohh, ya're still the same. Still begging for headpats and grooming eh?" Zym ignored her teasing and left himself up for her grooming, her hands felt so comforted and warm with all the hair he had in his beard, it was nice. The realization hit her as she stopped petting him. She turned to Callum, noticing his smug grin, "How did ya do this?"

"The second last time we were Xadia I had a messenger go out to send a letter to Zym. Just asking to meet up is all," he shrugged as he continued, "The last time we were in Xadia, I arranged a meetup just after our meeting with that town's council!"

Rayla's face shifted into confusion. "Why?"

"Because I knew how much you missed him, and well," he glanced up at the dragon. Zym nodded his head and began to turn his body. Callum grabbed Rayla's hand and led her back a few paces, leaving her to watch Zym drop his wing down at their feet. "I thought we could have a little romantic flight."

Rayla chuckled at the sight. Zym had lowered his wing, prompting the two to climb aboard. The King of the Dragons was practically letting them treat him like a pet still, and he didn't mind.

Callum walked up Zym's wing, stopping just after the base, before turning around and extending his hand out to Rayla. "Shall we?"

She grinned. Of course he would do this. Wordlessly, she took his hand and climbed the wing, walking up Zym's side and coming to a stop on his back. Callum sat down, placing himself just a feet or a two away from Zym's head, and Rayla sat down behind him. Patting his back, Callum announced, "Yip, yip, buddy!"

A low growl erupted as Zym's wings rose high. Rayla firmly held onto Zym's back, unsure of how this was going to play out. He took two steps forward and they fell. Rayla and Callum roared in fearful screams, until Zym's wings extended out and they shifted into a glide, barely kissing the tree tops he had nearly crashed them into. Soon enough, they began ascending into the sky.

Rayla could not find the words to even describe such a beauty. It was a breathless sight, and not because they were high in the air. Zym had flown them above the clouds, leaving the night sky expose to their curious eyes—countless stars and a full moon, it was a once in a lifetime view.

"Wow…" she muttered. "It's beautiful."

"I know right?" Callum looked on, scanning their surroundings like her. She noticed he didn't have his sketchbook with him, only his backpack.

She frowned. "Are ya not going to sketch it?"

He chuckled. "Kinda too windy to do that," he gestured all around them. "And besides," he turned around, switching his body over to face her, "I wanna spend the moment with you."

She smiled at him. "Ya're still a sap, ya know that?"

"Of course I do," he rolled his eyes. "But, I also know that as _your_ sap, you still love it when I do things like these."

She chuckled, finding her hands intertwined with his, she pulled his hands close to her. "Never said I didn't love sappy things," she cleverly shot back. "After all, I _do_ like Moonberry juice."

Callum snickered. "Indeed you do, though I'm not sure why…" he leaned in and pecked her cheek, "but I guess I shouldn't complain, considering that it basically got me on your good graces."

Rayla giggled. "Oh yes. Let it be known that my love for ya was only solidified because of my taste in good sappiness."

Callum bursted out into a fit of laughter, leaving the windy air around them to pick up his elated spirit. Rayla laughed too, entranced by how adorable and freeing his laugh felt. His presence, his touch, his words, all of it felt perfect. Nothing but him and her, and of course the King of Dragons, flying high above the clouds. All their words, only for them and them alone.

"Speaking of sappiness," he spoke up, retracting his hands from hers, much to her reluctance, "I also decided to bring you something." He dug his hands into his bag, and pulled out a pair of two Moonberry juice jars. "How about a toast?"

Her eyes went wide. "Why?"

He frowned. "Uhh, why not?" he shrugged. "Kinda wanted to make a sweet moment here?"

She chuckled, shaking her head. "No, no, I meant, why would ya do that to yourself?" she inquired, staring at him in confusion. "Ya _hate_ Moonberry juice. Ya don't have to do this."

Callum rolled his eyes. "I don't _hate_ Moonberry juice, I just don't _like_ it. Big difference. Hate's a strong word. There's not a lot of things I hate!" he clarified, holding the drink out to her. She accepted it and he pulled off the cap of his drink. "Besides, it's only a toast?"

She smiled, pulling off her cap as she lifted her drink with him. "What for?"

"To being together, through thick and thin," he joked, shaking the drink, "But also just for all the sweet moments we've had in life. For all the moments that were hard to swallow. For all the times we were parched for a refresher. And all those times we just wanted to treat ourselves." Rayla was in a fit of giggles, of course he had a whole speech based off Moonberry juice. Lifting his drink higher, Callum added, "To us. And your weird tastes."

Rayla smiled, "To us, and my weird tastes." They clinked their drinks and downed them within seconds. Rayla released a content sigh as she wiped her lips, closing her eyes and letting the taste trickle down her tongue. She looked at Callum, and laughed as he launched himself into a barrage of coughs, aggressively attempting to clear his throat as he wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt. She patted his back encouragingly. "There, there, you'll be fine," she reassured him, "good on ya champ."

Callum chuckled, clearing his throat one more time. He glanced up at her with watery eyes. "Sorry, still a little rough on my tastebuds," he explained. "Now, with that out of the way—"

"Callum," she interrupted, because at this point she was too curious. "What brought this on? Or, any of this on really?"

He smiled. "Ray, I just wanted to do this. I know these days have been kinda stressful with our ambassador work, but I'm glad we can finally have a moment to ourselves like this. Because I think we earned it. That you earned it." He shook his head and with his free hand, took hers. "I think you deserve a lot of things Rayla. I know that your childhood was always so serious and rough, and I'm amazed that in spite of it all, you still became a great person. Everything about you has amazed me since we met.

"From the get go, seeing you sweep-the-leg was amazing. Seeing you prance around with elegance but also with ferocity? That's something only you could do. It's always amazed me how beautiful everything is about you. Your looks, your hair, your smile, it's hard not to want to sketch you every _single_ day. Your laughter, your teasing, your presence, you make me feel better, to want to be better. And… I love you. I love that you embrace my dorkiness and constantly want me to draw, to get better as an artist. I love that you enjoy my interest in magic, and supported me through all my desires to become an Archmage. And I love that you've been my rock, despite how _annoying_ I've been."

He took a deep breath, maneuvering his other hand into his backpack, to place his empty jar back inside. "Rayla, sweep-the-leg's not just a thing in sword fighting, but in romance, because, you swept me off my feet from the very beginning—"

"Callum," she laughed.

"And I want to be there for you. To be your rock, your muse, your protector, like you've been for me." He smiled at her, "So… Rayla…" his pulled out from his bag, "Will you marry me?"

Her eyes widened as she saw him unfold a necklace. It had a large violet gem held in a stone casing, with an array of white stone pearls looped nearby. The stone had the Draconic word, _Unitatis_, inscribed into the case. She laughed. She couldn't help but laugh. Her eyes were teary eyed, watering up as the realization sunk in. She laughed because of course he would propose with such a _stupid_ line. She cried because of course he would ask the King of the Dragons to help him out with a proposal. She laughed because he forced himself to drink and make a toast with her favourite drink. She cried because she knew he was trying to show the lengths he go to, for her.

"Callum…" she tearily laughed, "ya're such an idiot…" she reached out for the necklace, completely forgetting the empty jar in her hands and dropping it into the air. She didn't care about that now. She held her necklace, holding it in her hands as she stared at him, smiling as much as she could with her tears. "Ya… _know_ ya never needed to ask."

"But, as _your_ idiot, I had to," he grinned, "because I want to make the big gestures." He grabbed her hands and lifted the necklace up to her face. "So what do you say?"

She looked at the betrothal necklace and sniffled. "_Uinatis_," she read, "Unity…" She chuckled. "Of course ya'd propose with Moonshadow culture… ya made this yourself, didn't ya?"

"I did." He proudly nodded. "Rayla? Your answer."

"And ya even got the darn King of the Dragons to help ya."

"I did indeed, now your response?"

"And the whole thing with your Moonberry toast? Seriously Callum?"

"_Rayla_."

"I honestly can't think of how to make this moment… any better."

Callum sighed. "Say yes?" he tiredly suggested.

She rolled her eyes. "Of course," she chuckled, sniffing through her tears. Even if she was an emotional teary eyed mess, she still had to tease him. "Callum, I'd _love_ to marry ya."

He smiled, with that big dumb grin of his, he smiled like he had won the treasures of the world. But in actuality, all he won was a woman he already had. Rayla knew he knew that. She knew he understood how much she loved him, that none of this was ever necessary. But she also knew he wanted to. That this was just another show of how much he loved her. And like always, she enjoyed it. He was so smitten with her, and that was okay.

He leaned in, kissing her lips as he wrapped the necklace around her. She soaked in his lips, enjoying his Moonberry taste laced within him. He pulled away and grinned.

"I love ya…"

"And I love you."

It was okay, because she was smitten on him.

* * *

_**A/N: I did it. I followed the prompt, AND did proposal. Happy? I can do things! Anyways, tomorrow's the last day, but since I'm going to fly out to Ireland tonight with my family I'm gong to post day 31 a lot earlier. Because I'll be way to late to post it when I get back in August. The next, final prompt? Rayla's Birthday. Now... I wonder what I'll do with it...**_

_**;)**_

_**Until next time,**_

_**\- Bleh**_


	42. Effort & Time - College AU (Month Day 31

_**A/N: Day 31, Rayla's Birthday. The final prompt of Rayllum month, boy, what a ride. **_

* * *

_**Chapter Summary: **__It's Rayla's birthday. She knows it, her parents know it. But can they afford to fly out for a single day just for her birthday? Nope. She knew it, they knew it. So Rayla's birthday is off to a swell start... College AU._

_**Word Count: 3,417**_

* * *

**Effort & Time**

Rayla didn't hate her birthday.

But boy did today suck.

She understood that being on scholarship entailed a lot of sacrifices for her _and_ her family. She couldn't afford to slip up, slacking off was never an option. She devoted her extra time and skills to practicing; to perfecting her accuracy and strength, to keep up her stamina, and to maintain her physique. Of course, her studies played into it as well. She focused on preserving her grades as best as she could. She gave it her all and supplied her genuine interest wherever possible. Philosophy was her best course and easily took her attention and time. Literature was fun in its own right, but not without challenges. And history was… well, history. The other courses weren't much of a bother at all.

While Rayla had a rough time balancing her workload and football, practically juggling it all at once, she still did it because shew knew failing wasn't an option. She didn't have options. She had no cop out, no failsafe, no backup career—she had to stay here. Katolis was now a new home to her. Because it had to be. Which essentially meant that she had to leave behind her old one. She couldn't bring all the memories and mementos like she wanted, all she had to settle on was just her ability to remember them. That's all that she could have. She wanted to have her parents there, but they couldn't afford to take time off and she couldn't exactly afford two plane tickets for a visit to Scotland.

So basically, no parents this birthday. But they promised to make time in September. Because that's all they could manage. She sighed, shaking her head at her phone. What a stupid day.

"_Rayla,"_ she heard, "_c'mon, look at me."_ She looked down at her phone, and frowned at Runaan's face. He was frowning too. But she could tell he was mainly upset with himself more. He did not look proud of himself for telling her this. She could see the self annoyance plaguing his mind. "_Please."_

She frowned. She wasn't being fair. "I know… I know it's not your fault—"

"_It is," _Runaan disagreed, "_I'm so sorry I couldn't book time off—"_

"Da, it's fine," she dismissed. "Ya don't have to, I'll be fine."

"_I sent a package!" _she heard Ethari's voice echo in the back. "_Something I made."_

Runaan rolled his eyes and sighed. "_Honey, I told you she doesn't want your silly inventions."_

"_What I make in my workshop is art! Ya just don't understand it!"_

"It's fine Da," Rayla assured him, "I love anythin' Da makes me."

"_Told ya!"_

"_Eth, stop tinkering for God's sake and say goodbye to your daughter!"_ Runaan shouted.

Rayla laughed, smiling at both her fathers' exchanges. Her smile grew as soon as she watched Ethari walk into frame. He had a pair of safety goggles hanging down from his neck with a few splotches of dirt and oil all over his cheeks. He beamed his classic toothy smile as he flashed a peace sign at her. "_Happy birthday Ray-Ray, sorry we couldn't make it! But if ya want we can do a facetime to sing happy birthday, just bring out a cake or somethin'." _

Rayla giggled. "Nah, it's fine Da. Thanks."

Ethari shrugged. "_If ya say so, Sweetheart!"_

Runaan sighed as he offered a warm smile. "_Happy birthday," _he softly said, "_if you need us we're always a call away."_

"I know Da," she rolled her eyes with a soft smile. "Thanks. For… callin'." She looked at her fathers and maintained her smile. "I'll call ya soon okay? Bye!" she waved at the camera.

"_Bye!" _Ethari shouted.

"_Bye Sweetheart!"_ Runaan waved.

The called ended and Rayla sighed. Her warm smile fell within seconds. It wasn't as nice or as long as she wanted, but she was glad she was able to get one out of today. She banged the back of her head against her locker and closed her eyes. "Happy birthday to me," she muttered under her breath. There was a stinging in her eyes, a sudden pain she was desperate to fight back. A knock on the change room door disrupted her from her self pity. "Hello?" she tiredly called out.

"_Ray?" _Soren's voice came through. "_You good in there? The other girls said you kinda just… stayed back… just wondering… if you're okay… is all." _he awkwardly filled in. She knew Soren wasn't exactly a feelings type of guy, so she was not in the mood to deal with his around the bush beating behaviour.

Rayla sighed. "I'm fine Soren," she gritted out.

Soren chuckled. "_No, yeah, sure, definitely! But uh…" _he cleared his throat, "_a certain _someone _is here to see you!"_

Rayla's face dropped. That was exactly the last person she needed to see today. She was too deep in the pits of bad mood she couldn't just do that to Callum. Her usual spunk and happiness couldn't be on display for him this time, she just couldn't muster up the strength to do that. She groaned as she stood up from her spot. "I'm on my way, just finishing up." She sniffed. She hadn't even realized how close she had come to crying. This was pathetic. It was just a birthday. She'd have more.

Rushing out of the locker room, she immediately came face to face with Callum's natural eager smile. "Hey Ray," he greeted. "That was a great game!"

She managed a small smile, as she rubbed the back of her head. "Right, thanks," she awkwardly muttered. "I, uh, ya need somethin'?" She mentally slapped herself. Of course he didn't need something. He just wanted to hang out with her. Like usual. "I mean, um, what's… what's up?"

He stared at her in bewilderment. "I um… no-nothing?" he replied. "I just wanted to know if you're down for a studying session tonight."

Rayla couldn't hold back her frown as she shrugged. "Sorry, I uh… don't think I'm in the mood. Tonight. I might hold off on studying…" she began walking forward, past Callum and down the hall, "I'll call ya, 'kay?"

Callum placed his hand on her shoulder, shooting her a concerned look as she halted in her place. "Rayla… you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," she nodded, completely ignoring the hurt she felt from lying to him. That was genuine, heartfelt concern. But she just didn't have it in her to tell him. She was just too sad. She backed away, jerking her thumb over her shoulder. "I'm serious."

He pursed his lips as he retracted his hand, seeming unconvinced by her reassurance.

She mustered up her best smile and flashed him a beam. "I'll call ya. I swear."

::::

She should've called him.

But she was not in the mood. She was sitting in her dorm room, all by her lonesome in the late evening. Just cross legged atop her bed hugging her pillow close to her chest. She wasn't crying. Her eyes just stung with tears, she was on the brink of crying. But she wasn't crying. Her cheeks felt damp and her nose felt hot, but she wasn't crying. She was just being selfish. She was stupid for even being so selfish.

How could she ask so much of her parents when they barely managed to even afford her high school enrollments? How could she ask her parents to make a trek across the world when they couldn't even manage a week off? How could she expect them to send endless gifts and presents when practically all of their income went toward rent? How could she?

Rayla closed her eyes, fighting back her tears. She had been dealing with this from a young age. She's had to get used to it. She was old enough now to understand that she couldn't expect things to change. Not like she wanted. Ever since she was a young girl all she had going for her was income issues. Judgement for how poorly she dressed and how boyish she looked. Snarks and sneers for her how cheap her lunches and bare her allowance was. Looks and loathing for how rundown and rough her home looked. She was cheap, and she knew it.

She lived the cheap life for _ages_. Her childhood has always been the bare minimum of expectations. And she was okay with it.

She really was.

She had to be.

She just couldn't ever expect—

_You would not believe your eyes_

Her head shot straight up from her sulking. She was hearing things.

_If ten million fireflies_

_Lit up the world as I fell asleep_

Her eyes widened as they flew to her phone resting on her nightstand. She clicked the power button and found nothing playing on her screen. Where was it coming from?

_Lit up the world as I fell asleep_

Her eyes grew wider as they glanced over to the door. She rushed out of her bed and stared at the door. It was coming from there. Her attention flew over to her desk, grabbing a pair of scissors with a fierce grip. If movies had taught her anything, random music playing from a locked door—but not just any music, but her favourite song? It was the bait for a trap. Stab City was the most logical destination. She slowly approached the door, hand reaching over to the handle, with her new fashioned weapon arched up and ready. If she was going to die on her birthday, very fitting she'd die hearing her favourite song too.

"_Ray,"_ Callum's voice came through, "_open the door please!"_

A breath of relief escaped her. Then immediate shock. Why was _he_ here? She tossed the scissors back onto her desk and whipped open the door. "Callum what the hell are ya—" she stopped herself as she took in what Callum was doing.

He was holding his phone out, blasting Owl City on full volume, with a wide grin on his face. In his other hand, he held out a single Hershey's kiss chocolate in his palm. "Kiss?" he suggested.

Her eyes widened even more. "Wh-What?" she stammered out. Did he just—

"Chocolate?" he rephrased, staring at her in confusion. "Hershey's kisses right? Or did I get it wrong again?" he pouted.

She laughed. Right, that was what she was thinking too. "Right, right," she nodded, "I erm, sure, thanks." She grabbed the piece and unwrapped it, tossing it into her mouth. She stared at him with a smile as she chewed on her sweet.

_'Cause they'd fill the open air_

_And leave teardrops everywhere_

_You'd think me rude, but I would just stand and stare_

Callum cleared his throat. "I um, are you going to let me in?"

"Right, right!" Rayla shouted. She stepped aside. "C'mon in."

Callum beamed a smile as he walked inside. He rushed over to her bed, throwing his bag and phone on top it. "So! I come bearing gifts," he announced, flipping open her messenger bag, he turned it over and dropped an entire pile of Hershey's Kisses chocolates and his sketchbook, onto her bed. "Kisses to last you the entire night, or rather, hour, considering how quickly you devour these," he jested. "And, while you do that, I was thinking I could show you my recent sketches? I dunno, if you want to that is."

Rayla shut the door, causing him to shoot his attention over to her. She was staring at him with a wordless smile. There was no way… "How… why are ya here?"

Callum grinned. "Because I want to spend time with you."

She felt her cheeks flush as she rolled her eyes. "I'm being serious."

"Let's just say it pays to be Facebook friends," he winked at her, picking up a piece of chocolate. He flicked it over to her with a laugh, she caught it with ease but maintained her confusion. She stared at him as he sat down on her bed.

_'Cause I'd get a thousand hugs_

_From ten thousand lightning bugs_

_As they try to teach me how to dance_

She chuckled to herself as she walked over to Callum and sat beside him, scooting herself up the bed to cross her legs. She unwrapped her chocolate and smiled, "Are ya gonna elaborate on that?"

"'It's Rayla's birthday! Say something on their timeline!'" he said in a mock elated tone. He chuckled as he raised a brow. "Next time you're upset no one remembered your birthday, try telling them."

Rayla scoffed. "Like ya did?" She had found out from Soren so last minute she practically jetted over to his dorm straight from practice. She was sweating like crazy and exhausted, but she instantly took him out to celebrate. Even though he argued, he went along _very_ willingly.

Callum snorted. "I always forget my birthday." He smacked his head. "Photographic memory isn't exactly flawless long-term memory." She laughed at his weak defence, because out of context that made no sense. "I'd forget if it weren't for Clauds and Soren always reminding me and my folks greeting me."

Rayla rolled her eyes. "Still, I would've appreciated a better heads up."

"Hey, we celebrated," Callum pointed out, "It was just delayed. And I loved that art gallery, best gift ever." He narrowed his brows as he smirked, "And what about your heads up? It's already eight."

Rayla sighed. "I… it's not a big deal."

Callum bumped her shoulder with his. "Hey… whatever the reason, I know you deserve a nice day." He smiled at her. "I get that… you might feel lonely because your parents aren't here but…" he grabbed his sketchbook and easily flipped through the pages. He stopped and showed her. "I hope I'm enough for now."

This was the greatest sketch she'd ever seen from him.

For countless times, she had been the muse of his focus. Her features he had done to a perfection. Her expressions captured with realism and beauty. She had always been created with the most ease and effortless time. His landscapes sketches were done with the most detail and attention, focused on every piece of shading, every outline, everything. They were always lined to a perfection. Because that was what he was as an artist. A perfectionist.

But this… was different.

A boy, with a hesitant and scared half-smile. The creases in his face clearly selling his forced attempt to look happy. He looked so insecure. His mophead hair flopping down, covering his forehead, it was unkempt and ruffled. But the genuine happiness in his eyes, it was the story of a man trying outside his comfort zone. It was cute.

Because it was Callum.

"Ya… ya did a self-portrait?" she asked. "It looks… beautiful."

He chuckled. "You've always told me to do it. But, I dunno. It felt very weird, just looking at an old photo or something." He rubbed the back of his head as he held the book out to her. "It's… it's something, right? I just… I know it's a weird gift, but I-I thought you'd like it. Something sketched from me—"

"Which is literally ya?" she teased.

He flushed, laughing. "Yeah, sorta, maybe—"

"I'm kidding," she smiled. "I liked it," she thumbed her fingers over the details, smiling at the effort and time told within them. "It's… very ya. A Callum special." She grinned. He smiled at her, lifting up a piece of chocolate. She happily accepted his offering and quickly unwrapped it, popping it into her mouth.

_To ten million fireflies_

_I'm weird 'cause I hate goodbyes_

_I got misty eyes as they said farewell_

She took a deep breath after finishing her chocolate. "Thanks…" she said. "I… I know I was kinda distant earlier but… thanks…"

He waved her off, "Don't worry about it."

"No, I want to worry 'bout it," Rayla shot down, shaking her head. "Because… because ya're my friend." She took a deep breath. "It did hurt. Knowing that they wouldn't be able to make it. But… I can't be mad at them. It's not fair to them." She shrugged, looking down at her empty wrapper. "I can't be selfish. It's not right—"

"Ray," Callum spoke up, placing his hand on hers, "it's not selfish to want to have your parents for your birthday." He smiled at her, "It's what any kid would want. It's fair for somebody to want to spend their birthday with family. Nearly everyone in the world wants that. It's not selfish."

"But…" she bit her lip. "I… I'm here because I have to be."

"I know. And I'm sure they know you're working your hardest to keep this scholarship but that doesn't mean they expect you to shoulder the burden all on your own," Callum explained. He chuckled. "Rayla, family's all about sharing. You… you owe it to them to talk about this more. And you owe it to yourself to get this off your chest. That doesn't have to be today, or tomorrow, or anytime soon." He made sure she was looking at his eyes, and she was. She was giving him her whole hearted attention. "And that said, you also deserve a birthday. A happy birthday."

She rolled her eyes at his dumb grin.

"And I… hope that this is okay… for now."

_I'd like to make myself believe_

_That planet Earth turns slowly_

She scoffed. "Are ya serious?" she rhetorically asked. "Ya come into my dorm, playing my favourite song," she gestured to his phone, "then ya bring some of my favourite chocolates _and_ willingly show me your latest art?" She laughed. "From ya? This is the best birthday gift ya can ever give me."

Callum snorted as he pulled his hand away from her. She had no idea he had been holding it for that long anyways. "Good to know our contrasts," he joked, "I enjoyed the art gallery you took me too, and you like, modern electronic pop songs and small chocolates are what do it for you."

"_And_ your art," she heavily stressed. It was probably her favourite part of his gesture.

"And my art," he repeated with a chuckle. "Well, I'm glad you liked… this… uh, feel free to skim through the rest of what I've got. I've been doing more landscape, especially at the football field."

She smiled as she began flipping through his pages. He never really let her look through his stuff. The only exceptions had been when he had shown her himself or when he just flipped through a couple pages, leaving to barely catch a glimpse of their details. They were beautiful. She looked at each one, took in each image. "These are amazing…" Her thumb grazed the lines of shading he had done over the bleachers of the stadium.

"Thanks… I'm… I'm glad you like them," he told her with a nervous smile, "That, uh, that this is enough…"

She smiled as she continued looking through his art. Her smile growing brighter as she came across a page of him and her. The two were sitting down, back pressed up against each other. He had a book in his hand and as did she, both were reading. It was a very rough sketch, the attention to shading and outlines were barely worked over, and the detail in their hands and hair were basic. But… she noticed how great the features were in their smiles. The genuine, passion drawn into their faces. She felt that. It was very them.

This moment, was very them.

She chuckled to herself, taking another piece of Kisses chocolate and popping it into her mouth. He had no idea what this meant to her. With a simple smile, like the very same he had drawn, she looked at him and giggled. "Cal, this is _more_ than enough."

He smiled at her, seeming satisfied with her reassurance. The two sat in a peaceful silence, casually eating the sweet treats as Rayla flipped through his art, with Callum occasionally pitching in his commentary. Rayla couldn't help but smile the rest of the night.

_It's hard to say that I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep_

She looked at Callum, and was happy to see him smiling too. She was happy to have him as a friend. Happy that tonight, on her birthday, he was with her.

_Because my dreams are bursting at the seams_

Because that's all she really needed, she supposed.

* * *

_**A/N: And that... is that. I'm sorry if this didn't seem like the grand scale ending everyone expected, but I think I'm happy with what I was able to churn out in such limited time. You all might be confused as to why I posted this literally a day early, but as I said, I'm going on a trip to Ireland for a week with my family, so I had to post it sooner than later because I did not want to miss out. And besides, I started Rayllum month by posting literally 2 hours into July 1st, so it's very fitting I finished early too.**_

**_Now, that said, the post on my blog that usually takes my followers to FFN and Ao3 will scheduled to post tomorrow, but I'll say the same things I wrote on the post here._**

**_31 days, 31 oneshots. Albeit, some drastically longer than expected, some shorter, some not good, but all in all, it was fun! Thanks to rayllum-week-and-month for all the prompts! For spreading the rayllum love to the TDP community, getting more and more people into this. It's really great. I'm not sure if anyone's seen my earlier post back in February, but I talked about how I was an avid Rayllum shipper ever since September, when the show first aired and I felt really sad about how small the Rayllum community was. But it's been an amazing ride seeing it grow with all these crazy talented and determined artists, writing and drawing for a month._**

**_Don't be discouraged if you didn't finish the entire month, or fell behind (like me) or anything like that, Contribution is what makes a community. And at the end of the day, that's what we are._**

_**So, the hiatus... I have two ongoing fics that are essentially my main focuses. ZPIC and LoA: Untold Story. ZPIC has been a long devoted story of mine, for over two years now, and I intend to finish it. And LoA is just a Aang and Toph pairing that I really want to explore, so I gotta see it through. Don't worry, whenever I have the chance, I'll be sure to update this oneshot collection, but I won't ever abandon it. You best believe there'll DEFINITELY be an update sometime before Season 3 of TDP. So don't worry. **_

_**But, if you do have prompts or suggestions for me to write, please DM me on FFN or on Tumblr! Please do, it'll help me keep track of all the suggestions you give me!**_

* * *

_**Review Responses:**_

_**SassySapphire: **Don't worry, I think I've got a good grasp on how much you love this MBtMS, thanks so much for all your reviews!_

**_Or-lan-do626: _**_Best believe mans a smooth criminal._

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_**Until next time,**_

_**\- Bleh**_


	43. The Birthday Cake (Childhood AU)

_**A/N: **_**_Today marks the one year anniversary of The Dragon Prince! What better way to celebrate than with a Childhood AU?_**

* * *

_**Chapter Summary: **__Rayla makes an interesting discovery she just has to share with Callum. It's such an amazing discovery that it calls for celebration! That's it! Childhood AU. _

_**Word count: 2,191**_

* * *

**The Birthday Cake**

"_Psst_."

The soft whisper graced across Callum's ears, but his attention remained on his sketchbook. He sat slouched over on the bench out in the courtyard, using his head as shade to shield his work from the bright sun.

"_Psst, Callum_," came another whisper.

He ignored the voice as he stuck out his tongue, bringing his attention over to the bright spots of his drawing. As he began to shade them, he felt something prod at his spine.

"_Callum!"_

He rolled his eyes as he continued shading.

Another prod. "_Hey Cal—_"

"What!" he whined, throwing his head up out of agony. He turned around and glared at the young Moonshadow elf stood before him. "I'm trying to draw!" He waved his sketchbook at her as he added, "You can't see me drawings if you won't let me finish!"

"Draw later!" Rayla dismissed with a casual wave of her four-fingered hand. "I found somethin'!" she eagerly shouted as she bounced in place, clenching her fists as she shook them with excitement.

Of course, because it was Rayla, her mood was easily infectious and swayed Callum to forget his sketch. His brows raised in interest as he titled his head at her. "What kinda something? Something that feels like a magical artifact? Or a mystery?" he inquired, curiosity obviously peaked.

Rayla smiled as she leaned over, cupping her hand over her mouth as she glanced around the courtyard, wary of any eavesdroppers. "_Both_," she whispered.

Callum's eyes exploded in shock as his mouth fell to the ground. "_No way_…" he whispered back.

His friend merely nodded in pride as she straightened her posture, tucking her hands on her hips as she held her eager smile. "That's right! It's somethin' special, and _crazy_! I don't know what it's doing in the castle! I was—"

"Rayla, talk later," Callum interjected, hastily tucking his pens into his backpack. He slung his sketchbook's strap over his shoulder and stared at Rayla seriously. "If whatever you found was as magical and mysterious as you made it to be, someone else might find it!"

Rayla's mouth dropped. "Ya're right!" she gasped in shock. Shaking herself out of her shock, the young Assassin found her resolve and shot her finger into the air. "Quick! Follow!"

"_Shhhhh_!" Callum chatised her, bringing a finger to his lips. "Quietly!"

Rayla nodded once more. "Right, of course. Stealthy-sneaky," she waved her palm in front of her face, morphing her expression into what looked like an attempted shot of seriousness, "Assassin mode activated." She narrowed her eyes and dropped down to a crouch. "Now follow!" she loudly barked, releasing her voice to the walls of the courtyard.

Callum grinned as watched his friend whip her body around and dash off, flinging her arms behind her back as she ran, a running technique she claimed to make her run faster.

"Yeah!" the artist shouted after her, mimicking her running technique as he dashed right after her.

::::

"Runaan?"

The moonshadow elf in question raised a brow as he kept his gaze transfixed on his book. "Yes Sarai?"

"Why does Rayla run like she's got something tying her arms behind her back?" the Queen inquired, maintaining her confused gaze out onto the courtyard below them.

Harrow perked his head up from his meal, glancing his confusion between his wife and friend, before making his way over to the windowsill to steal a glance for himself. Amusement crept upon his lips as he watched his son follow after the Assassin-in-training, both running whilst crouching down to a low centre of mass with their arms dragging against the wind behind them. "What in all the lands—"

"It makes her run faster," Runaan simply answered, eyes still on his book.

The royal couple blinked at each other as a silence supplied the air. They simultaneously glanced over to their elven friend, noting how casual he seemed. "I'm… sorry? What?" Harrow spoke up.

"It… it makes her run… faster?" Sarai slowly clarified.

Runaan made an affirmative noise as he lazily flipped onto the next page of his novel.

"How…"

"It just does," he stated.

Harrow blinked once more, then asked, "But how—"

"It just… does."

The royal couple once more exchanged a set of confused stares, then settled on returning their attention out and into the courtyard, where they _still_ saw their children running about. They decided not to question the professional Assassin on his methods.

::::

A raised fist brought Callum's running to a halt. Rayla had her body pressed up against a wall and her ears on the prowl. She glanced back at Callum, and motioned him to move over to the wall. The boy quickly obeyed and threw his back up against the wall with haste, panic reaching his eyes. He watched as Rayla carefully poked her head around the corner, the immediately retracted herself with a startle.

"What? What is it?" Callum quietly asked.

"A couple of guards," Rayla answered.

Callum's face contorted into worry. "Are they guarding the thing you found?"

"Uh-huh," Rayla answered, peeking her head out once more. "Ugh, they're right outside the door I found it in!"

Callum made his way over to the corner, peeking his head out under Rayla. The two narrowed their eyes at the sight. Two crownsguard were stood outside a set of double doors. Callum quickly recognized the room to be the dining hall. He had just realized wit all the surroundings they've been walking through that Rayla was leading him there.

Rayla sighed. "They must've been on break when I found it," she muttered under her breath.

"Well how do we get rid of them?" Callum asked. "Man if we knew some sort of spell, we could totally solve this!"

Rayla furrowed a brow at her friend. "How would that help?" she questioned.

The boy shrugged. "I dunno, I just think it's cool. Y'know, using magic?"

"Hey, I can _do_ magic," Rayla shot back.

"You only turn invisible. During a full moon."

"That's still magic!"

"Hmm, I guess so," Callum agreed.

"Prince Callum?" a feminine voice echoed out. The two froze in their spot, realizing that they had not only been bickering quite loudly, they were also completely out of the way from the corner they were hiding from. The guard smiled at the two as she waved. "Oh, and Lady Rayla!" she cheerfully greeted the two, waving at them, "What're you up to this afternoon?"

Callum innocently waved back, whilst Rayla smiled. She then leaned over to Callum and whispered ever so quietly, "_We gotta get them away from the door_."

"_Yeah, I know_," Callum said back, matching her pitch.

"_But how_?"

"_I dunno_."

"Guys?" the other guard called out. "You okay?" He wore a look of concern as he stepped forward.

"Do you need anything Prince Callum?" the female guard asked.

"Ooh, I know!" Callum cheered, looking as if an idea had just struck his face. "My mother requested your presence."

Both guards' brows shot up in surprise. "Really?"

"Yes!" Rayla jumped in. "King Harrow was with her too!"

"Oh, uh—"

"And it was urgent!" Callum hastily added.

The guards shut their mouths as hesitance washed over them. "Uhh…"

"Like _desperate _urgent!" Rayla chimed in.

Their eyes flashed with worry. "Of course! Right away!" the first one shouted, darting off.

The second lagged behind, stammering, "W-Wait for me!"

Soon enough, the hallway was cleared, and the two were free to make their move. Rayla pushed open the double doors and eagerly led Callum by the hand, rushing over to the other end of the long table. With a show of pizazz, Rayla hopped up from her spot and gestured to the end of the table with jazzy hands. "Ta-da!" she exclaimed.

The young prince really had no idea what he was expecting. His mind flew from mystical things like a magic orb or enchanted sword, to mysterious and ominous items like an old map, or random letter with their names addressed on it. But, for all his imagination, Callum didn't expect to find a fat, creamy chocolate birthday cake set on the table. It was obviously chocolate, with the icing of its outermost layer oozing down onto the silver platter. With three layers, it was clear that a multitude of different chocolates went into the design, ranging from what looked to be mousse, dark chocolate, and white chocolate. The top had an array of melted cheese, circling around the edge of the cake, with a set of four sliced strawberries plopped on one side of each cake.

The most notable feature had been the white candle stuck in the dead centre. Just beneath it, a written text in white icing stating, "_Celebration!"_

"Whoa…" Callum muttered in awe. "You just found this?"

Rayla excitedly nodded as she stepped closer to the cake. "Yeah! I don't know where this came from, but it doesn't seem like anyone else knows it's here!"

Callum stepped forward, hands reaching toward the cake in temptation. Suddenly, common sense overwhelmed him as he shook his head to snap himself out of his thoughts. "Wait, wait, wait, we don't know _who's_ cake this is! We can't eat it!"

"Callum, I brought ya here so _we_ can eat it! Together!" Rayla shouted, grabbing two plates from the table that had been set prior.

He frowned as he glanced. The fact that there were so many utensils and plates set up, he got the vibe this was met for something. "Hmm, I dunno."

"In the time I went to go get ya, no one even came by!"

"Then why were there guards outside?"

"There's always guards outside the dining hall."

"Hmmm…" Callum's skepticism was shrinking ever so quickly with each retort Rayla shot back. She _did_ make convincing arguments. "Well, I think our only issue is following the rules!"

Rayla's head cocked to the right as she furrowed a brow. "Rules?"

"Yeah!" Callum rushed over to the table and pointed at the cake's icing. "It says 'celebration'! We need to be celebrating something in order to eat it!"

Rayla shrugged. "Why not just eat it?"

"My mum always said, 'You're not allowed to eat a birthday cake if whatever's written on it isn't addressed for you!'" Callum recalled in a deep voice, attempting to sound sophisticated.

Rayla giggled. "Well, if it's a celebration, can it be us celebratin' that we found a cake!"

Callum smiled in delight. "That might work!" he eagerly agreed. Quickly, Rayla handed him a plate and the two rushed over to either side of the cake. With eager forks, the two began to advance on the sweet celebratory dessert. Callum's hand halted as he shouted, "Wait! What if we're celebrating our friendship!"

Rayla's face of brief confusion immediately subsided into excitement. "Yeah! We can say that this is a celebration to our friendship!"

"Or me celebrating how cool of a friend you are!"

"Or me celebratin' how cool of an artist ya are!"

Callum's face suddenly felt hot, but he laughed it away. "Or maybe it's us celebrating your epic Assassin training!"

Rayla grinned. "Or maybe we're celebratin' how ya're my best friend in all of the world!"

The prince giggled as he shook his head. "How about we just agree with celebrating our friendship?"

The Assassin-in-training nodded. She jabbed her fork into the cake and pulled out a big chunk. "To my bestest friend in the all the lands!"

Matching her smile, Callum dug his fork into the cake and nearly pulled out a size that matched her chunk. "To my most awesomest friend in all of the known kingdoms!"

With passionate smiles, the two bit into their chunks, and were immediately sold. It tasted like the sweetest, most chocolatey dessert they had ever sunk their teeth into. It was like heaven had taken the form of food, and graced their taste buds with its presence. Their eyes lit up with excitement as they found each other's stare. Both knew what the other was thinking in that exact moment.

"It's _mine_!"

::::

"I swear my Queen, your son and Lady Rayla informed us of your desperate need of assistance!" the guard pleaded, following after the royal couple and their elven friend. She glanced to her partner, prompting him to chime in.

"It's true!" he swore, "They said it was urgent!"

Without any consideration for their desperate pleas, Sarai rolled her eyes. "Relax, you're not in trouble." The group arrived at the double doors. With a push, Harrow and Runaan entered the room, with Sarai and the guards tailing right after.

And they had no idea what they were looking at.

Passed out on the far end of the table, Callum and Rayla had a fork in their hands buckets of chocolate stains all over their clothes and face. As they approached the two, Sarai quickly gathered they were sleeping soundly out of content, with what looked to be cake crumbs left in their wake. She had no words for what she was looking at.

She glanced up from the scene and stared at her husband and friend. "So… who's cake is this?"

* * *

_**A/N: **So I know I said I'd update my other stuff before I ever return to this, but I honestly forgot about TDP's one year anniversary. And I had to celebrate it. So I decided to do a quick little Childhood AU, and throw in some fun friendship between Callum and Rayla. Of course this wasn't anything big or whatever, but I wanted to mark the special day with a oneshot just to say, "It's been a year! Woo!" That said, the hiatus will return so don't expect another update so soon. I mean it this time._

_Anyways, who's cake was it? What was it for? It was literally there just to celebrate TDP's anniversary. Just a random cake, created out of the thin air that is literature, and made for this silly little plot. Also, gotta say, it's great to see that after one year, this community has grown so much! This cakes for you guys too!_

_Until next time,_

_\- Bleh_


	44. A Work in Progress (College AU)

_**A/N: Muhahahuahauha! I quickly return! And with a College AU no doubt! **_

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_**Summary: **A follow up to Game On, Callum sketches Rayla for the first time. As he opens the door to his studio, the floor also opens for some mingling. College AU._

_**Word Count: 3,285**_

* * *

**A Work in Progress**

"Deep breaths," was the mantra Rayla had established for herself by late afternoon of that fateful football game.

She had rushed off from the locker room, bidding the team a quick goodbye and shouting to Soren to finish a pizza pie in her name. Before anyone could say anything, or before Claudia could even catch her, she dashed out the stadium and rushed over to Callum's art studio. She was _beyond_ eager. To finally see Callum's artwork upfront and personal, and even his work in progresses would be amazing. But… she was also nervous.

Rayla never posed for anyone before. She had never been a model for sketching and she certainly didn't think she was outfitted well enough for this. Her eyes shot wide as she realized her current attire. It was so plain [nah I'm too lazy for this one, y'all just re-read what she was wearing from the second College AU oneshot] and boring she couldn't believe that she just rushed over without a second thought. Her only thankful cover was her varsity jacket that he returned, but did she really want to look like a textbook football player for her first—and quite possibly last—sketch?

Shaking off her doubts, Rayla recalled her newfound mantra and proceeded to take a series of deep breaths. With a perky smile, she knocked her fist against the steel door three times, then shoved her hand into her jacket pocket. This was it, the moment she'd been waiting for.

And it didn't happen.

Rayla blinked at the door. She quickly pulled out her phone, noticing that a good minute had passed after her knock. She cocked her head in confusion then tried again, another consecutive three knocks, this time slightly louder than before. Another pregnant silence stirred. Rayla leaned her ear up against the cold door, listening for anything. There was no music, so there wasn't anything drowning out her knocks. Could it be…

He cancelled plans?

"Rayla?"

Her worrisome thoughts faded immediately as soon as she heard his voice… from down the hall. She blinked once more in confusion as she watched I'm walk toward her. "Uhh… Callum? Ya're not inside?" She perplexedly pointed at the door.

Callum cocked his head and laughed. "No? I said we're going to sketch after the game right? So I thought we'd meet up and go together? I was uh, kinda surprised when Soren said you rushed ahead."

Rayla's cheeks flushed instantaneously. Did she really just do that? With a mental facepalm and an audible awkward chuckle, she sidestepped from the door. "Whoops!" She winced. "Guess, I kinda got excited." Again, she cursed herself for saying something so stupid.

Thankfully for her, Callum merely smiled, with a faint blush of his own. "That's good! That'll make this more fun!" As soon as he arrived in front of the door, he pulled out a set of keys and began undoing the lock that she hadn't even noticed was there. With a simple smile, he turned her way and said, "Shall we?"

She instinctively beamed back, and watched him push the sliding door aside. He stepped in and twirled around, watching her face in anticipation as she wandered in. And she wished she was him just so she could see what her reaction was, because what she saw was _breathtaking_.

It was like a scene setting out of a movie. Nothing too fancy, it wasn't like a huge room overfilled with art pieces hanging from every corner, or a gallery spread throughout with dozens of finished pieces waiting to be seen. It was just a studio. Like any other she had seen before when she passed through the art building. A few pieces hung up on the walls, and since she had familiarized herself with his works she knew they were more dated than his recent stuff. A few blotches of paint stains here and there, on the floor, carpet, and tables. There were also scattered themes of personal attachment like _The Beatles_ album records, anime posters, and sci fi posters too. It was plastered with his personality. It just felt genuine.

He had a few easels set up near the centre, all arranged in a circle. They were unfinished works it seemed, majority only sketched, the rest half painted. There was a table just beside the door that had dozens of plastic shelves plastered atop it. They were no doubt filled with paint brushes, paints, and the other tools alike. She smiled at the sight of the stained furniture. It felt like passion. Her gaze easily scanned across the room and latched onto nearly every item with an admiration that must've seemed like an exaggeration to others. It wasn't much, but it was enough to keep Rayla amazed and entertained.

"Like it?" She turned her head back to the centre. Callum had dragged a stool to an empty canvas and smiled at her. His expression looked pensive, as if a sense of worry had been aching at him. Boy, he had no idea how excited she was.

She eagerly nodded, beaming the brightest smile she could muster. "It's amazing…" she walked over to where he was prepping. "Can ya tell me about these?" she asked, gesturing around the unfinished pieces.

He chuckled. "Don't worry, we can talk and sketch at the same time."

She furrowed a brow. "Really? That won't be too distractin' for ya?"

He shook his head as he moved away to grab another stool. "Not really. I've done it before in my art classes. Sometimes my seatmates try to get the model to laugh and break her pose," he casually explained, "Plus it can be kinda dull just me drawing here in silence. Talking's a nice change of pace." He dragged the stool and placed it a few feet away from the canvas he had prepped. "Sit here," he patted gently.

She wordlessly followed and sat down at the vacant stool. She watched him rush to his table, gathering a collection of supplies and fumbling about throughout the drawers.

"So uh… wh-what type of… pose? Should I be doin'?" she asked.

He paused for a moment and turned around. Tilting his head to the left, he thoughtfully stared at her with a squint. "Ummm, not sure. You do you," he replied as he turned his back to her.

Rayla's brows furrowed in confusion. "What?"

"Try anything," Callum shouted, "just do whatever feels comfortable!"

Rayla glanced down at her legs and sighed. That sounded easier said than done. Comfortability wise, Rayla defaulted to whatever would make her legs feel okay. She assumed this would consist of her being sat still for a long period of time, and figured being relaxed would help her too. She turned her body away from the canvas circle and over to the wall, because staring at his artwork would be a nice pastime. She rested her left leg on the bottom stretcher and her right casually dangled just above the floor. She slouched her back—she couldn't be bothered to be strict with herself—and tucked her hands into her pockets. And she was satisfied with what she had.

A pose otherwise known as the "cool person" pose.

Did that come off as trying too much?

Was she being a bit extra?

Rayla's face slumped into a frown. She had no idea what she was doing. "That's perfect!" Callum shouted upon his return. Rayla turned back and noticed him setting up his supplies at his easel. "Are you comfortable with that pose? Because you're gonna be stuck like that for a while," he warned with a polite smile.

She nodded back. "Mhmm. No problem!" She turned her head back to where she was facing and smiled at the wall of art. This was going to be okay.

::::

This was not okay.

Rayla has no idea what to make of Callum. His face was currently bunched up in a tight fit, he looked angry at his canvas, but the light brushes with his pencil left her wondering if he was just hiding how frustrated he was. Several minutes had passed and they fell into silence. A long, quiet silence. If she listened hard enough Rayla could hear the sound of his pencil dragging along the canvas, but aside from her deep breathing, nothing. Callum made no comment ever since they started, but Rayla couldn't help but feel like she was already messing up.

Maybe he said her pose was okay to spare her feelings?

Her lips fell at the thought. This was ridiculous. She wasn't a model. She didn't even understand why she was so eager to try this. She knew next to nothing about how to do this sort of stuff. She felt awkward even though she chose a pose that was comfortable for her. She felt stiff under his observant eyes and felt like her posture was unsatisfactory or something. He merely set upon her a calculating stare, as if he were scanning her like a barcode.

She felt weird.

Most especially since there hadn't been any discussion between the two. After all that banter in the stadium, it all cultivated to an anticlimactic silence. He did say he usually worked in silence, but he also said talking was a welcomed change. Was she suppose to start conversation? Was that his invitation for her to do so?

Deciding to be bold, she cleared her throat as she slightly adjusted shoulders. "So—"

"Oh my gosh I'm sorry!" he randomly spoke, startling her. "I totally forgot that like, you might want to talk and just went into silent spell!" He nervously rubbed the back of his head as he shot an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that. Slipped my mind."

Rayla's face softened at his smile. "Nah, don't ya worry 'bout it."

"It's just, your hair is beautiful," he casually added.

Her face swelled with red as she stammered, "Wh-What?"

Callum went on, his attention returned to the canvas. "Like, I'm still sketching you out, but working out the outlines of your hair is so interesting. It's very smooth and like, well do you watch anime?" he excitedly chirped.

Rayla's eyes shot wide open. He watched—of course he did! She eagerly nodded as she exclaimed, "Yes! Of course!" She watched him startle at her pitch, causing her to clear her throat and settle down. "I-I mean, yeah… I do…"

"Well, you've got a very anime-esque hairstyle." He laughed. "Like seriously, girls must be jealous trying to copy it because it's so picturistic and like, very animated—like an artist's fine touch but brought to life," he nonchalantly explained, "It's amazing, and I could get lost in drawing it all day!"

Now Rayla's face had been flushed ever since Callum started his casual compliments, but that last sentence really sent her from cherry red to full blown tomato. Did he really just say all that? "I-I, um… th-thank ya," she managed to reply. "I… I like your hair too…" what was she saying? "It's very… chocolatey. Nice." She winced as she watched him poke his head around the easel. His face looked as flushed as she felt. "I mean—"

"Thanks," he beamed, "I-I appreciate it?" It seemed like a question, but he hastily shook his head and added, "I just realized I sort of went into another spell there. Kinda rambled. S-Sorry about that. If it uh… weirded you out y'know?" He sheepishly shrugged before returning to the covers of his canvas.

Rayla shook her head. This was amazing. He was feeling _the exact _same way. He was…

Nervous too!

A sigh of relief blossomed over her as she smiled at Callum. "Don't worry 'bout it. All these lil' spells of yours are actually pretty fun." She giggled, silently relishing in the visual relief that took up in his expression before sliding behind his canvas. "Member, I came here because I also wanted to see your artwork." She could do this.

Callum poked his head out again and smiled with a raised brow. "Oh yeah, about that! You said you're a fan of my work?" A broad throwaway topic, but she gathered he was prompting her to talk more about it.

Rayla nodded. "Yup. I started going to the art showcases my first month at Katolis, because I've always had a love for the arts," she proudly stated. "The second I heard about it I had to go. And I was so glad I did!" A content sigh escaped as she reminisced all her attendances. "I just wandered around the floor talking to artists about their pieces—"

"You see Rashan's?"

"You mean him and his beautiful contrasting landscapes?"

Callum grinned as he snapped his fingers. "That'd be the one."

She nodded. "Aye, I did. I really do love his attention to detail and his theme of distorted community in nearly every one. It's beautiful." She smiled as she stared at Callum's wall of artwork. "But, one caught my eye that garnered some confusion. It was a beautiful painting of an empty park bench, ol' gray and cold, but yet there's a centred field of view on it for some reason. Then there's a bunch of other people, in black silhouettes, just staring at this vacant spot—surrounding all around this bench. Now I thought it was a piece on society's way of idolizing cultural figureheads not because they're good or influential, but because they have a position or platform of power—hence why it's empty, to show the hive minded perceptions we all have—"

"It was! Glad you could see that!"

"—But there wasn't a single artist around to stand by it and agree or disagree! Not a one!" Callum's excitement shot down a few pegs as he winced. "I waited, because I figured he or she went to the restroom but after twenty to thirty minutes of hoverin' I asked an attendant and they said that this particular artist doesn't show up to his showcases very often!" She watched as the artist in teasing shrink at her taunt. "Imagine that! Somethin' so beautiful and not a single soul around to talk about it."

Callum sheepishly laughed at her gaze. "I uh, don't really have the courage to stand up to a couple of lingering eyes."

"Pfft, Callum, whenever I visit your showcase at those galleries yours has more than a couple," she easily countered. It was true. There was always a good amount of people gathered around his artwork, and like she had, waiting around for an artist to claim it and speak about it.

He sighed. "Not exactly encouraging me, Rayla."

She rolled her eyes. "Callum, if ya can talk pretty about an empty football arena ya can do the same for _your_ art." Her eyes shot up as she began looking around the room, realizing something very important.

"Hey, can you try not to move so much?"

"Sorry, sorry," she winced as she kept her gaze back on the wall. "I uh, was looking for that finished piece ya were blocked on awhile ago?" She smiled. "Ya said ya'd show it to me?"

She glanced over and noticed his face light up. "Oh right!" He walked away from his easel and over to an adjacent easel, carefully bringing it over for her to see. "It's another piece about spotlights!"

Rayla's jaw dropped at the sight of the painting. The lime green grass, the yellow glinted gleam of the spotlight, the shadowy atmosphere of the seats, and the exclusive focus on the emptiness—it was exactly like she always saw it. Every single time before a big game, every single time she sat in those stands and looked on to the empty arena that was her turf. It was nearly a picture perfect replica. The only exception was the shadowy figure stood in the centre of the field, all by their lonesome, like a mere speck. She couldn't make out if it was anyone of significance, but it was clear that they weren't exactly a centred focus, just someone lurking within the spotlight. It was…

"Beautiful," she muttered. "Cal… that's… that's amazing!" She exclaimed. "Seriously! Like, ya managed to perfectly capture the entire stadium! An-And after seeing it once? How did ya… how even?"

He shrugged as he rubbed the back of his head. "Uhh, we all have our talents I guess," he joked.

Rayla laughed. "Yeah, and yours seems to clearly shine." He seriously was talented. It was ridiculous how reminiscent the entire piece looked, and she only felt that from a distance. If she were even closer where she could notice the finer details? She groaned as she threw back her head. "Now I _really _want ya to finish this sketch so I can look at that up close!"

Callum chuckled as he returned to his easel, picking up on his sketch. "Relax, relax, I promise I'd show you stuff and I will!" he lightly assured her. "Besides, you make it sound like a sketch of yourself isn't anything to glance at."

Rayla snorted. "Please, with what else ya've been creating? I'm the least interesting muse ya ever could've had."

"Is that a fact? Because," he smirked as he grabbed his easel and turned it around for Rayla, "I think it's coming along nicely."

It was her.

A very rough, unfinished sketch of her. Her hair, her face, her smile, her physique—it was just her. She couldn't describe it as anything else. Yet, what stood out to her the most was the level of detail. It didn't feel like his other pieces, ones that told stories of personal opinions and past sufferings. This told her something different. Of course it was merely just a rough sketch, but there was a vibe to it. Something about it spoke out to her. And she wasn't sure what it was.

"I like your smile," he suddenly said.

She blinked out of her trance and met his sincere eyes. "What?"

His face flushed slightly as he chuckled. "I-I mean, like… it looks nice. Very… genuine? I dunno it was my favourite feature to draw…"

Rayla's lips upturned at his words as she felt her shoulders relax. She had felt so stiff and awkward this entire time, but something about Callum just eases her down. She nodded at him. "Thanks. Ya… Ya're doing great so far."

He beamed up at her praise. "Really? Oh my god thank goodness, I was worried for a second." He turned the easel back to his face and returned to sketching. "I-I always get nervous about doing hands so I was _so glad_ you put them in your pockets!" he mused.

Rayla laughed. "Well maybe next time ya sketch me I'll be sure to show 'em off more."

His head popped around the easel. "Next time?"

She smiled at him. There was something going on here. Whether it was obvious or not wasn't exactly something Rayla concerned herself with. It went beyond that. Her attention was more deliberate on what they were doing. They were talking, laughing, and learning about each other. Something about that touched Rayla. It was nice. It was a kind of nice she didn't want to let go of yet. All these feelings she had, and whatever one's he had, were all out on the floor, just there. It felt like it was a moment, _the _moment, to finally do something. To say something. But when she found his grassy green eyes, the excitement laced behind them, she thought against it.

"Yeah, next time, if ya'd like."

He smiled back. "Yeah, I would…"

Because none of that mattered. For now, they were a work in progress.

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**_A/N: FULL DISCLOSURE. Have not seen_** _**the 3rd season yet, so PLEASE do not spoil it in the reviews/comments for me. I'm busy with exams right now, and I really, really would appreciate it if no one did me dirty here. By the next TDP oneshot, I'll have definitely had watched it (and who knows, maybe it'll be about the new season!) but for now, I remain in the dark.**_

_**Anyways! This oneshot! Finally am I right? After like five other College AUs, I finally got to write the first time Callum sketches Rayla. And yes, it was a fun one. Admittedly starting off I kinda struggled so I had to redraft my approach, but I liked it. This was nice to write because this was before they got all buddy-buddy and so close with one another. And you get to see into Rayla's mindset a little regarding their whole relationship. I hope I conveyed that well enough, and now y'all start to see why this AU is burning slower than ever. It's friendship!**_

_**(also I just like torturing you guys)**_

_**Fun fact! The inspiration for both the message I was trying to get at and the title of this oneshot came from how I always title my Rayllum oneshots when I'm working on them. I title them "Rayllum WIP" (Work in Progress) until I come up with a clever title. Halfway through I realized that was like, the perfect way to close this story.**_

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_**Review responses:**_

_**Pidgey104:** I'm glad you loved it! Hope you stick around for more!_

**_Ultrawolfie:_**_ oh my god I love it when I see people talk about binging my stuff! I usually do the same thing so it's nice to feel the other side of the screen! Sorry about the frustrations but I full on warn you... it only gets worse from there. Also, the steaminess? I feel like that's more likely to happen in another AU before the College AU, at least, for the rate they're going.. :P_

**_TheLemonsAreComing: _**_Splendid idea! I'm working on that one right now! Whether it'll be the next oneshot you read will depend on how I'm feeling, but don't worry, I'm on it!_

**_SassySapphire: _**_Nooooo, do the homework! Might be late to say it now, but ya gots ta! Hyprocritical coming from a guy who just finished editing and posted a oneshot for a fic when I should be studying for my exam in 7 hours. __¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ (if i fail it was worth it)._

_**Prophet21:** No u._

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_**So that's that for now! Next ETA for next chap is unknown! Hopefully I'll have one up before Christmas, maybe two before New Years. I'm hoping I'll get one down to a holiday special of some sort!**_

_**Until next time,**_

_**\- Bleh**_


	45. Meeting the Parents (Technically)

_**A/N: YES! I return! So, if you don't follow me on Tumblr I kinda explained the situation but basically I'm busy with school and as of now, have essays under way! So yeah, 'twas kinda rough. And this oneshot kinda felt meh to me, but I wanted to write it because I wanted to base something off of the recent season and the aftermath! Because y'all, RAYLLUM IS CANON NOW. How often can you say that about a show? **_

**_Also, before you get into it, we recently passed the anniversary for MBTMS! March 1st is apparently when I posted it, and to be honest, I'm glad I did. Remember, you guys are the reason this is still happening. Thank you so much for you everlasting patience and for putting up with barely decent oneshots (like this one right here) because I understand they're not all winners, nor all that worth the wait. But I just love your reviews, both on A03 and FFN. You guys are the reason why I do what I do. I love writing. And y'all remind me of why that is... thanks a ton._**

**_Now enjoy!_**

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_**Chapter Summary: **__The Dragon Queen was saved, Zym is safe, and peace between the Humans and Elves is finally under negotiation! And after the dust settled Rayla returns home. Discovering her banishment was lifted, she takes Callum back with her to meet Ethari, face-to-face... for real this time._

_**Word Count: 2,680**_

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**Meeting The Parents (Technically)**

"Ya ready?"

Rayla's voice startled Callum from his sketchbook, nearly causing him to fall off the Shadowpaw. She had reached out and grabbed his shoulder, stabilizing him as he situated himself. He met her eyes with a thankful stare as she sheepishly shrugged. "Sorry, I kinda scared ya huh?"

He laughed, "Something like that, yeah." He closed his book with his pencil inside and smiled at her. "And, to answer your question, I'm not sure."

She furrowed a brow. "Why not?"

He shrugged. "I dunno, last time it felt different. There was a lot of stress, and no one could even see me! Now it's…"

"Better," Rayla grabbed his hand, interlocking their fingers as she held them up, "It's better because they can see ya now." Her smile easily reflected into his, leaving the two the grin like a bunch of children.

Callum's eyes lit up as he noticed the familiar landmark. "Oh, we're here!" he pointed at the flat lands.

Rayla turned her body around and chuckled. "Wow, your memory serves as a nice navigator." She brought their ride to a stop before they hopped off. "I lived here my whole life and didn't start memorizing my way back until I was nine!"

Callum chuckled as he walked alongside Rayla. "Yeah, well, my parents did always say it was something special. Claudia actually suspected I had some magical abilities or something because of how descriptive my memory can be." A frown fell on his face as the thought of his friend flashed through his mind.

Claudia left.

She was missing now.

He shouldn't look back on memories like that—

"Hey," a sudden hand on his shoulder brought him out of his trance. He glanced up and smiled at Rayla's violet eyes. "It's okay to think about her. To… talk about it ya know?" She smiled at him, a look that practically told him she understood. She knew it wasn't exactly something they could gloss over.

"I know." He nodded. "But, that's not important right now." He plucked Rayla's hand off his shoulder, slowly dragging his fingers through hers as he parted ways from her. He assumed the stance, beginning the ritual to enter the village. He smiled at her, waiting for her to join in.

"Right," she agreed.

::::

When Callum first heard of Moonshadow Elves, he conjured up a demonic elf with scary horns and dangerous blades covered in blood. He imagined intimidating creatures with violent and fierce gestures of practical everyday movements. He imagined monsters, to simply put it. But he never imagined the very first Moonshadow elf he'd ever see, was the prettiest person he would ever encounter. And never would he imagine that said person would become his girlfriend. Needless to say his image of Moonshadow Elves changed like clockwork. So Callum would have never imagined that the very first time he'd ever see a village of Moonshadow Elves (the first time didn't exactly count since they had no faces), he would be met with a round of cheering and roaring applause.

But lo and behold, that was what exactly he and Rayla met upon entering after their ritual.

And it wasn't any mere illusion.

He had never seen such a literal display of the term "open arms" until today. People welcomed them with smiles and occasional embraces of greatly wide open arms. Even Callum received some thankful hugs of his own, along with some hearty handshakes of approval. It was very real. Just like the bashful smile on Rayla's face with each and every Elf that passed her way. They were making her know that her banishment was null and void. They were reinstilling her faith in their village. They were affirming that she was, in fact, a hero. And she deserved it. Callum had no doubt about that either.

"Th-Thank ya, thank ya so much," she smiled as she shook the last set of hands before reaching the stairs. She turned around and met Callum's eyes with a shy look. "W-Wow, I never thought—"

"Get used to it Ray," Callum grinned as he approached her, taking her hand. "Because you're a hero. And, you deserve this."

She mirrored his smile. "So do ya," she tightened her grip on his hand, intertwining their fingers as she nodded her head upward. "Now c'mon. Let's go see Ethari." The eagerness in her tone slightly eased Callum's nerves as she led him up the steps. The last time they walked up these steps, he recalled feeling anxious and worried, wondering about the possibilities of Rayla's curse being removed, stressing about the likely scenario of him not even liking Callum at all. And now? He felt the same amount of worry and anxiety as before. The only change was that his focus was _strictly_ on him now. Could he really meet the expectations of this amazing engineer? Someone Rayla had praised to be the village's greatest craftself? The odds felt nowhere near Callum's favour.

Before he could even allow the regrets and doubts to change his mind, he and Rayla found themselves at the foot of Ethari's workshop, right before the door. He expected Rayla to push open the doors like last time, but instead, she excitedly brought out her index finger and pushed a small button on the frame of the door. After a moment, a rhythmic chime echoed from what sounded like the interior of the building, keying to a tune of that a nice jingle. Callum's eyes lit up in wonder, and judging by his girlfriend's reaction, she had been waiting for his reaction to that.

"_Coming!"_ Ethari's voice shouted from within.

The human mage couldn't help but ask, "Okay, what was that?" He gestured cluelessly toward the door, obviously unsure of what and where that came from.

Rayla grinned. "It's called a doorbell. Ethari came up with this design a while ago for our village, and then went onto to spread his design to the rest of the kingdoms. It's a lil' jingle that plays whenever someone pushes the button so it lets residents know there's someone at their door. They're still being produced so some houses have them in the main settlements of Xadia, but our village is the only one that has a doorbell in every household," she proudly informed him.

"Wow… that's amazing…" Callum said in awe. "Think we can steal that idea? I'd love to see the Katolis gates play a tune every time we had a visitor."

Rayla chuckled. "Ya'd have to ask Ethari, his invention afterall."

The doors swung open and right before them stood the craftself himself. He had a wide smile on his lips as a teasing look fell upon him. He crossed his arms at Rayla as he leaned up against the doorframe. "I'm afraid Rayla gives me far too much credit Prince Callum, it was just my prototype I made—the actual idea came from my workshop group as a whole."

"Which he leads," Rayla not-so-quietly whispered behind her hand.

Callum chuckled as Ethari rolled his eyes. He watched the two drop their hands and stare at each other with happy faces. The next second, they lunged at each other with open arms, wrapping them around in a tight embrace. He watched as the two elves swelled up in their moment, soaking in every breath. Tears practically fell from Ethari's eyes like waterfalls. He quietly uttered, "Ya're home…" he sniffed away a tear and pulled away from Rayla, still holding onto her shoulders. "I'm… I'm so glad ya came back. I'm… sorry—"

"It's fine," Rayla quickly dismissed, shaking her head. "It's fine."

"Rayla, I—"

"Ethari," she reached up and held his shoulders, smiling at him with that warming smile that made Callum giddy, "We're good. We're fine."

He laughed, as if in amazement, as he nodded at her. "Yeah ya are. Ya're _beyond _fine. Ya did it. Ya saved the Queen. The Prince. All of Xadia _and_ the human kingdoms!"

Rayla chuckled as she nodded her head over something Callum, shooting him a knowing look as she said, "Well, I had some help…"

Ethari's eyes lit up as he rushed over to Callum, who had stuck out his hand expecting a firm shake, but instead met him with a thankful embrace. He tightened his hold as he whispered to the boy, "Thank ya for bringing her back safe and sound. For watchin' over her."

Callum awkwardly laughed, slowly bringing his arms up to return the hug, patting the elf's back with hesitance. "Hah, well, um don't give me all the credit. Trust me, she probably could've done it on her own if I wasn't such an important piece to the whole plan." His eyes shot wide as he backed away from the craftself. "N-Not that I think I'm like, a big shot or anything. I'm not! R-Really! I meant that I was needed for the plan, _her_ plan, _R-Rayla's_ plan! She could've done it without—"

"Callum," Ethari chuckled. He placed a firm hand on his shoulder and smirked. "It's fine. I get what ya're trying to say. But that needn't matter. Because I'm _thankful_ that ya were there for her. Especially when I…"

Wasn't.

Both Callum and Rayla knew what was hanging on the edge of his lips. It was unspoken but the air hung just enough silence for them to grasp at what he was going to say. It was no secret that the guilt must have been eating at him ever since the Queen sent out messengers to all the villages about the two of them did. They had heard the rumours spewing all over Xaida, the Step-Prince of Kaolis and daughter of the Moonshadow Dragon Guard, returned the Dragon Prince to the Dragon Queen. Hearing such news brought a pleasant rise to the Moonshadow Village, and Rayla was immediately asked to return—bringing Callum as well of course.

Throughout all of that time however, Ethari has been waiting. Most likely rattled with guilt for how he acted when he first saw Rayla, for doing the spell. He had helped them of course, and arguably without his help they would've never been to the Dragon Queen's nest in time. But he must've been so ashamed of himself the entire time. And then to learn they succeeded? Callum didn't even want to think about the amount of guilt the elder elf had right now. From what he had heard from Rayla, Ethari was the missing mother figure in her life after her parents disappeared. Both Runaan and Ethari seemed to fill that void for her. And the Step Prince was willing to bet that connection went both ways.

He felt like he betrayed her trust, their bond.

Callum reached for Ethari's hand and softly pulled it off his shoulder. "You were," he replied clasping the four fingered hand with both of his own, sandwiching it with a soft embrace. "I don't just mean because of the rides you gave us—which by the way, we lost one, sorry—but I mean…" Callum dug into his pocket, pulling out the thread that once held the moon opal pendant Ethari gifted to Rayla. The symbol of Ethari's faith in Runaan, in Rayla. "We… _she_ did carry you with us. And you did give us strength. You helped us solve a really big mystery."

As confusion struck Ethari's face as he held the thread with a firm grasp, Callum smiled knowingly at Rayla. "You wanna tell him?"

She happily nodded. "Ethari… my parents…" his brows shot up at the sudden mention, "they're innocent. Callum used _Historia viventem_ and found out what happened that day. They didn't abandon the egg. They defended it…" her proud smile slightly fell as she looked downcast. "Till their last breath. They managed to convince the dark mage to spare the egg instead of destroyin' it. Viren did somethin' to them, that's why their bodies were never found."

Ethari's eyes shot wide open as he stared at Rayla. "They… they're innocent?" He looked to Callum, who confidently nodded. "I… I can't believe it…" he held his head in his hands, falling to his knees as he chuckled. "That… that _does_ sound like your parents. I never pegged them to be cowards." He laughed as he looked up at Rayla, smiling at her proudly. "Children reflect the best parts of their parents. Ya have your father's drive, and your mother's wit. Ya don't get that from just anywhere."

"But I also have your heart," Rayla quipped, "I am who I am today because of your guidance too." She held out her hand to Ethari, helping him up to his feet as she smirked. "I'm not an assassin. Ya're right. It's not somethin' I'm capable of." She looked back at Callum before continuing. "And I'm fine with that. I'm a Dragonguard. Like my parents."

The elder elf stared at the young girl before him with a look of wonder. There seemed to be a mixture of emotions from what Callum gathered, but what the one jarring out at them was obvious. It was the same smile he'd seen on his mother's face each time he showed her a new drawing. It was pride. Ethari released what sounded like a pained laugh, riddled with hurt but also love. He smiled down at the thread, shaking his head as he sighed. "Runaan, he'd… he'd be proud," Ethari spoke with a sad smile, assuring her as he placed his hand on her shoulder.

"I hope so…" Rayla sniffed, holding back her tears, "I do have his stubbornness after all…"

The two laughed as they shared one more hug, embracing each other as they revelled in the news they just shared. They were fine. Things were fine. Ethari's eyes opened as he looked to Callum, smiling at him. _Thank ya_, he mouthed. Callum simply shrugged, causing Ethari to roll his eyes. "Get in here ya fool," he demanded, reaching out and pulling the young mage into their heartfelt hug. He held the boy with a firm passion, and Callum's mind—for the briefest of moments—felt something familiar.

A warmth that had once comforted him through the rough nights.

A soft touch that once grounded his anxieties in reality.

A sense of family, of security.

It reminded him of his mom's hugs.

Tears swelled up in Callum's eyes as he returned the hug with a fierce conviction of passion. "Thank you…" He sniffed. "For trusting me with her," he whispered. He wasn't sure how those words slipped out, or where they came from. But Callum felt like they needed to be said.

After what felt like an hour's worth of warmth, the three pulled away. This time Callum and Rayla were noticeably holding hands smiling at each other. Ethari obviously noticed the gesture and smirked. "So… _ya_ casted a Moon spell?" he cheekily inquired. A faint blush rose in Callum's cheeks as Rayla nodded for him and began to praise his abilities as the first ever Human Mage. He laughed. "Please, tell me all about your journey," he politely suggested, stepping aside to let the two in. "I'd love to know more about Rayla's boyfriend's achievements!"

"_Ethari!_" Rayla hissed as she hastily shoved said boyfriend inside.

"Relax, I'll be sure to trade childhood photos in return!" he replied, smug as he watched Rayla's face redden. "Would ya like to see the first time Rayla held a knife?"

"Would I!" Callum gasped in wonder.

"That's it, I'm making ya drink Moonberry juice." Rayla sneered as she led him toward the kitchen.

Ethari laughed as he watched the two tease each other back and forth whilst going further into his workshop. He stopped and stared down at the thread in his hand, gently thumbing the texture of the rope as he looked away from inside his house and down at the fountain. "We'll save ya a glass, my love." He brightly smiled as he turned back and shut the door behind them. Later that day, Ethari claimed to finally have a son.

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_**A/N: Yeah, it wasn't exactly much but I also wanted to write Ethari for the first official time. You'll notice too I changed the name in the college AU to Ethari instead of Tim. Originally I didn't want to give Ethari an non-canon name until his actual name was confirmed, but I went with Tim because we knew he was a Tinker so I thought Tim the Tinker would be funny (yes I did laugh at it). **_

_**Moving on from that, I would also like to recommend following me on Tumblr for more updates! I am unsure of when the next one will drop, as this whole COVID19 situation has me working online courses now and so the academic switch might be jarring? Especially for ASL. Y'all, how am I gonna learn sign language over online? Rambling aside, I also strive to be very engaged with followers! Please, if you have an idea or something shoot me an ask on my blog and I'll respond ASAP! Don't worry , I do have a plethora of ideas in the works and in reserves. Some of which are actually from you guys! So fret not, I'm not running on empty.**_

_**But also, I am aware that College AU is the most popular AU in MBTMS and I do understand that, and apologize for how lengthy those ones can be in updates. They take the most outta me sometimes but are also the most fun to write, so win-win. Mainly though, I wanted to highlight that I will be trying other AU ideas (and any suggested by you guys of course) so things will get broader. MBTMS is my testing ground for AUS, because quite frankly, I don't write AUs at all so this me getting my feet wet. And I don't swim.**_

_**Essay done. Thank you all for your patience. Love ya tons.**_

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_**Review Responses:**_

**_SassySapphire: _**_I have and I LOVED it! I'll quickly surmise here: Soren best boi, Rayllum is awkwardly pure and wholesome, action was awesome, Janaya yus, Aaravos still sounding sultry sexy (Ethari too), Queen Aanya was major clutch and great, and though it was rushed-to be expected in a 9 episode only season series-I loved how the story flowed for what it could manage. Also, yeah abandoning homework is a goddamn mood at this point. I should be working on essays, but no! SHIPS COME FIRST._

**_Prophet21: _**_Wholesome is the word I believe Rayllum embodies... it's too pure..._

**_Ocaj: _**_Glad you're loving them! Also glad to have you along for the ride! And yup, more AU branches coming soon!_

**_Kelakai: _**_Thanks for the luck! I did swell on them last sem. Also thanks for the love! _

**_Winter-Buzz: _**_It really is. They really are. _

**_Bionic Slime: _**_YESS. A fellow binger. I am flattered whenever someone says they binge through my fics, thanks so much! And yes, I'll definitely do more Future Family AUs! That one and the Childhood ones are my favourites, mainly because I love writing children! And yeah, College AU is slow pacing but this recent one was a good insight as to why. They're in love with their friendship too, and really, that's all they care about in the end._

**_Guest (who I am hoping is the same person): _**_Love your reviews and yup, Childhood friends AU is precious indeed. Also, Sarai and Harrow will always, in any iteration of AUs, be shipping Rayllum. _

_**dinochickrox: **Glad to have you along for the ride as well! Hopefully I'll manage to keep ya too! Thanks for the review!_

**_The Moon Phoenix: _**_Happy to hear that you love them! But, as I've stated before, I'm hesitant to separate the AUs as a whole because they're not exactly a fluid story... more episodic, and also the entirety of MBTMS is multiple AUs. I'd like to keep them all together. Sorry if it means they get cluttered, but I do try to label chapter titles in the legend so they're easier to sort out!_

**_behnbailey: _**_Yeah, I'm Canadian. You can probably tell my some of my spelling (colour, not colour, lol). And to me 25 degrees is a bit hot. Though to be fair I do live in Toronto so I guess in some places that's just mildly warm..._

**_Atomberry: _**_I am so happy to hear you say that because honestly I felt very proud of that dinner! I mainly just picked up from own experiences. I'm in a big family, and my siblings bring guests over sometimes so guest dinner conversations were something I wanted to try writing. Thanks for you kind words!_

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_**Thanks again guys, really. Also... one more... thanks :)**_

_**Until next time,**_

_**\- Bleh**_


	46. Of Hidden Hearts & Heroes (Superhero AU)

_**A/N: Yes, I am back. And you know what that means, essay of A/N at the end! WHOOO! But real quick, i changed the summary of MBTMS because **_**_I realized at the time it was more centred around Rayllum moments in post season 2, but now that's practically canon and that I've expanded to more AUs, I decided to change it! This series will continue to be a one shot collection. For how long? I don't know. Maybe a hundred stories? Who knows._**

_**Also, this is a fan suggested prompt! First of many I hope! **_

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**_Chapter Summary: _**_You should do a chapter that is a superhero AU about Rayla being a superhero and her best friend Callum finds out. Or make it so that she's a superhero and she's also in love with him, so he tells her he knows her secret and she can't figure out which one he's talking about. By TheLemonsAreComing._

_**Word Count: 3,965**_

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**Of Hidden Hearts & Heroes**

Callum knew walking down alleyways late in the evening was dangerous, but he also knew Aunt Amaya was home tonight and quite frankly feared her punishments more than muggers. His house was a mere half an hour walk, fifteen if one ran (well, if Rayla ran), so he chanced it. Besides, his community had a fairly low crime rate and next to no action going on. The most dangerous thing he expected to run into on his way from school was a stray cat. Of course, he still carried himself with an err of caution as he maneuvered between buildings and dumpsters. Though he would never have had to do this if he just went home with Rayla as soon as school ended, but he was confident in his priorities and that the biggest issue he'd come across would be a stray cat.

He stayed behind at school to work on his art project, perfecting the final touches. He didn't want to bother bringing the whole canvas home and set up all his supplies again, and so decided to power through the afternoon. Naturally Rayla warned him not to stay too late—he'd make sure not to tell her he stayed till half past six—and he affirmed her concerns. Nevertheless, he thought it was worth it considering how quickly he finished it and how well it turned out. Plus, he would still be in time for dinner. A win across three boards.

If only that was how that played out.

Within the first minute of Callum rushing through the alleys, it happened. Out of nowhere, a hand came out from the corner of the other alley intersecting his path and tossed him to the ground. He groaned in pain, rubbing his aching head before realizing a large hooded man in front of him—with a _gun_. His eyes shot wide as he held his hands up, still bruised from falling onto the pavement. "H-Hey I—"

"Empty your pockets," the mugger commanded.

Callum froze. What was he supposed to do? "Uh, I-I um—" a hand picked him up from behind, pulling him off his rear and up to his feet. He turned his head to find _another _hooded figure, severely larger than the other mugger. He was so close that Callum managed to see his grimace and rough jaw he was nearly gonna faint in the spot.

"You heard him. Empty your pockets." He shoved him forward, nearly causing Callum to trip on his feet. "_Now_," he barked.

The young boy flinched at his words, stuttering out a collection of, "I-I don't have much," and "you can have all my bus tokens too," and "just p-please don't hurt me." Or at least that's what he _felt_ like he was saying. His mouth was suddenly dry and quivering. After fiddling around with his pockets, his eyes widened as he realized nothing was in them except his phone. "I-I-I don't have it," he stammered out, "My-My wallet. I don't have it."

The two guys glanced at each other. "Bullshit," the man with the gun spat out, stepping forward as he placed the gun against Callum's temple. Was this seriously about to happen? "Either you give it to me. Or we take it off your corpse."

He closed his eyes. What was he supposed to do? He didn't have—

"Oi laddies, how 'bout ya pick on someone slightly closer to your size, aye?"

Callum opened his eyes and noticed the gun was removed from his face and now aimed up at the sky. The mugger was staring up at the rooftop of the building nearby, shakily pointing his gun. "Who're you?"

Callum blinked in realization. The mysterious hooded figure laughed as she stomped her boot on the edge of the roof, resting her arm on her knee. "I'm the gal who's gonna kick your asses."

Without hesitation, a shot was fired. Callum flinched, stumbling backwards and right into the bigger man's arms. He held him in a firm bear hug, backing away as his accomplice fired at the woman above. She hopped off the roof to dodge his first shot, and rapidly bounced back and forth between the walls, dodging each bullet as she descended toward them. Finally, the man's gun clicked empty, and the hooded woman leapt at him, knocking him out with a punch so fast that Callum couldn't even see where it connected. All he knew was that the shooter was lying on the ground in front of them and she was suddenly behind the two. The large man whipped around and increased his tight hold on Callum as he took a few steps back. With her fists drawn and her arms positioned in a tight stance, guarding both sides of her face, she narrowed her eyes at the man.

It was then Callum noticed her black eye mask perfectly situated on her face. It brought out her venomous violet eyes. "One last chance. Let him—" her eyes widened for a moment, with her mouth hanging on a word it seemed. Clearing her throat, she clenched her fists and narrowed her eyes once again. "Let him go 'fore I make yer regret it, fella," her voice suddenly went an octave higher and more masculine. It almost sounded country.

"I'd like to see ya try, girlie," the large man challenged.

The hooded figure scoffed as she shook her head. "It's yer trip to the hospital buddy." With that, she lunged at them. The man lifted Callum up to protect his face and so all Callum could see fast approaching him was a very angry masked woman about to punch him. But instead she came to an abrupt stop, twisting her body around to the right, hooking her left leg around the mugger's leg and pulling it with her. At the same time, she pushed Callum out of the man's grip, separating the two with ease. As he tumbled out of harm's way, he glanced back in awe to witness the fight continue.

Or rather, measly end.

The man had fallen to the ground and rolled over on his face. He hurriedly attempted to push himself up but was too late as the masked woman rushed at him and threw a kick to his midsection, sending him a few feet back. Callum dropped his jaw, he had never seen a human fly so far from a kick before! He nearly went down the rest of the alleyway. "If yer know what's gud fer yer, yer'd be stayin' down!" The large man laid there, groaning in pain as he rolled around the ground. She turned back to Callum and randomly stiffened on the spot. What was up with her all of a sudden?

That was when he realized he was _finally_ seeing her in a closer lighting. She was clad in a navy full body suit with a black trench coat overtop, accessorized with dark teal boots and arm braces to match her palette. And her face; the hood obscured a good portion of her upper half, shadowing down to her exposed mouth. But her cheeks were styled with purple streaks of face paint that dripped down from her eyes, almost as if she was making a mask out of makeup. It was actually an intimidating blend of colour matching, one he was quite fascinated by. He took a step forward, gazing into her violet eyes… they looked like—

"Oh, er, howdy there! Fellow citizen! Citizen fella! Yep! Just me…" she awkwardly spoke, placing her hands on her hips as she jut out her hip, "Yer everyday Moonshadow… friend. Not friend! Because I don't know yer! Or, I mean, we could be—" she shook her head. "Actually, yer know what? Ig-Ignore me."

"So wait, it's actually you?" her eyes shot wide for a moment, "You're real?" Callum gasped in shock.

She let out a small chuckle as she waved her hand. "Y-Yup! Real as can be… fella…?"

"Wh-What are you even doing here? You're usually so far downtown!" Callum randomly asked. He had no idea why, of all things, he was bothering asking questions.

"Oh, uhh, just… expandin' my field is all! I'm all over the place," she grabbed her cape and tossed it over her body, "I am the Moonshadow. I am everywhere! Where the Moon shines, and where a shadow… darks?" She smiled awkwardly as she shrugged.

He stared blankly at her.

Her reports were something of another story. A hooded vigilante appearing during an attempted assault and battery, murder, mugging, B and E—you name it. The small, petty crimes that would've been long done before a cop arrived, she was there. On the scene of action and calling cut. The people called her a hero, some in the police called her a questionable individual, the mayor pleaded for a meeting with her. Outright, no one in the mass public seemed afraid of her. She was welcomed. She lessened crime rates gradually and made everyone feel safe. It was the main reason Callum's parents trusted him to go downtown more—she put everyone at ease, subtly so. The hero who struck at the peak of the Moon's highest; amongst the shadowiest of places filled with lowlifes and crooked creeps, the Moonshadow roamed.

And here she was, in front of him. Being… as awkward as he was. Not once did anyone report her speaking with a country accent, some had said she sounded English or Irish, of course no one heard her long enough to know. But Callum was nearly convinced this woman was his age by the way she was acting. In fact, by her height she looked a lot younger than he assumed. Her voice, height, mannerisms, it was almost like she was—

"W-Whelp!" she suddenly spoke, startling Callum out of his thoughts, "I better go on an' tie up them ne'er-do-wells!" She jerked her thumb back. "Yer best run along now—" that awkward smile on her face suddenly faded as she turned her head to the right. She immediately shoved Callum back, throwing him on his rear as another large man rushed at her, body checking her against the dumpster.

There was a third guy? _That_ much for a mugging?

"Seriously?" she coughed, pushing herself up off the dumpster, "this many fellas to rob one kid?" Callum mentally thanked Moonshadow for her shared sentiment. "If yer all tried an ATM, yer'd at least get 'way a _bit _before I'd catch yer."

The third man said nothing as he cracked his neck and fingers.

"Ahh, tough fella eh?" Moonshadow found her footing and assumed a hardened stance. Bringing her fists up, she slightly elevated her right shin. "Makes the hits more fun," she smugly quipped.

As the man rushed forward with a left hook, Moonshadow brought up her right arm to the side of her head, shielding her face from the attack. She pushed off his hand and using her left, sent a jab directly to the man's midsection, forcing him back a few feet with a loud groan. The mugger stumbled on his footing but managed to stay standing, all while Moonshadow rushed at him again. She took one step forward before twisting her torso around, extending her left leg high up as she did so, delivering a powerful kick to her opponent's head. He flew toward the wall, face first, and collapsed right against it.

As his groans trailed off into silence, Moonshadow turned around and rushed over to Callum, who was still sat on the ground. "Sorry 'bout that, yer alright?" she asked as she extended a hand to help him up.

Callum accepted the gesture and felt as she easily lifted up from the pavement with one pull. He had just realized she was wearing fingerless gloves, and that they seemed to give off a sort of MMA style. He smiled at her gloves. He remembered when he and Rayla talked about hero outfits before, and their exhaustive discussion about the usefulness of gloves in a costume. Callum had said the aesthetic of what went on a hero's hands or wrists could really sell an outfit, whilst Rayla argued that functionality had to count for something and so flare wouldn't really matter.

He mentally laughed as he had living proof from a superhero that managed to do both.

"Errr, hello?" Moonshadow concernedly asked, waving her hand in front of his face. "Yer weren't concussed were yer?"

"N-No!" Callum blinked in response. "Sorry, I-I was just… man, my best friend would _kill_ to be in my position right now."

Her eyes lit up. "O-Oh? Would she? Or he? Or-or them?"

Callum's face contorted into confusion at the heroine's stumbles. "Umm, yeah. She and I are like, really into comic book heroes."

She chuckled spontaneously, heartily placing her hands on her hips. "Well, if yer well aware of them comics, yer should be more careful not to go runnin' through dark alleys, yer hear?"

Callum's face flushed. "R-Right."

"I even bet that friend of yers would be kickin' yer fer it!" she angrily spat.

He flinched at her sudden aggression and sighed. "Yeah, she really would."

"Then she's pretty smart too! Yer should listen to 'er more often!"

Callum sheepishly rubbed his arm at that. "Yeah… I already do take her advice for granted…"

Moonshadow's shoulders suddenly stiffened as her head tilted. "Yer… do?" He nodded shyly, this was kinda weird to talk about with a superhero. "Well, sounds like yer got yerself a real nice friend. Who _really_ cares about yer. Probably worries non-stop about yer, pullin' off stuff like this." She cleared her throat as she confidently nodded, "Yer best make it known that yer appreciate her. Even if she already knows it—which she might, I'm guessin'."

He shrugged with a laugh. It was true. Rayla really wouldn't expect anything less in return and neither did he, for they didn't exactly fill out favours. But, she _genuinely_ was there for him through the thick and thin. Her, a football jock, constantly sticking her neck out for an art nerd like him. They had known each other since first grade and had been inseparable since. Part of their nature was just the fact that Rayla would always pick him up after falling down. Always watching over him. He mentally laughed at the idea, because it was exactly what Moonshadow had done for him.

Rayla was like his own superhero. And she always made sure to be there to save him from his burning buildings of burnt out projects and muggings of mass mathematical tests. Like his own guardian angel, leaping from tall buildings and watching over him. She cared. The heart of hero…

He stopped his train of thought and stared at Moonshadow's eyes. Realizing how lost in thought he was, he felt the piercing stare chase after him. It wasn't as threatening as it was when she glared at the muggers, this was different. The concern laced within them, as she suddenly placed her hand on his shoulder. She was so… familiar. So comforting.

So caring.

"Ca—n yer hear me? Are yer okay?"

Her question bounced him right back to reality. As in, the reality that he had almost just been mugged by three dudes and was saved by a superhero. He stammered out a series of sentences that not even he was sure of what they entailed. Eventually, Moonshadow calmed him down with a laugh as she placed both her hands on his shoulders and eased him gently.

"Listen, these fellas will be wakin' up soon. Yer best mosey yerself on home while I take care of these folk." She proceeded to gently push Callum away from the scene of the crime, walking past the unconscious men as if they weren't worth paying a second thought to. "Stick to the open streets and paths with bright lights this time."

Callum shot one more glance back at the heroine just before she shoved him onto the sidewalk, witnessing her last second smile as she turned back to the alleyway and rushed towards the muggers. The mysterious nighttime vigilante, disappearing back into the shadows once again, like a figment of his imagination.

He walked home that night with a muse in mind, and a scolding awaiting for him at home. But also, with a lot more questions than answers.

::::

Rayla walked into Katolis High feeling very sore that morning. And exhausted. And tired.

But most of all, she was pissed.

That dumb, idiotiotic, best friend of hers, didn't hear a _word _she said yesterday and did the exact one thing she told him not to do. _"Don't sweat it Rayla, these final touches will barely take half an hour!"_ And then she runs into him in the middle of the damn evening, surrounded by three muggers in a dark alley. Rayla always began her patrols at six o'clock, but wasn't against early starts depending on when the Moon was out and visible. Unfortunately—or rather, fortunately—she caught a gang drug deal in an abandoned warehouse in the middle of downtown, just a few blocks down from the art district and broke it up before anything went anywhere.

Over twenty armed men with AR-15s and only one her. Odds were practically even. Except for the random grenade launcher one of the goons had whipped out, as the one and _only_ shot they had fired sent a support beam straight to her back, causing her to go flying across the warehouse and into a cushion of wooden crates. Rayla thanked the Moon that she could heal fast. But it still hurt like hell. The apparent downsides of having powers strengthened by Moonlight was that daytime meant everything slowed. Meaning, healing was at a natural pace during the day. And so, the pain of being thrashed around by explosives and giant muggers started to catch up on her back.

So Rayla was sore, exhausted, and tired.

"Hey Ray!"

Oh yes, and _pissed_.

The secret heroine in question didn't even acknowledge the voice behind her as she stomped off to her locker. As she spun through her combo lock, Callum's hand tapped her shoulder—_right_ on the spot she landed against when she was body checked into a dumpster. She seethed in pain as she barked out, "_What_ _Callum_!"

Right as she met his eyes, she immediately regretted her tone. The concern in his eyes as he tilted his head, gently asking if she was okay, made her recall how annoying her situation was. She _couldn't_ be mad because she wasn't even supposed to _know_ he was mugged! Now she had to feign ignorance under the pretense that he would tell her, or blissfully act like she didn't know anything if he chose not to tell her.

"Sorry, I—er, hurt my arm throwin' yesterday," she quickly amended. She slowly rotated her left shoulder to demonstrate, but elicited a small groan because it _really_ hurt more than she was selling.

Callum's brows contorted into confusion as he said, "But I thought your practice ended early yesterday? 'Member? You tried to get me to go home with you before you left?"

Rayla almost face palmed as she rolled her eyes. Why was she so bad at this? Callum's hand touching her shoulder, _again_, startled her out of her thoughts once more. But not painfully… very comfortingly. He seemed more aware of his touch on her this time. Because of course he would be careful like that.

"Ray?"

"Oh, er, well it _was_ fine, but I guess I pulled somethin' and didn't realize ya know?" she casually shrugged, regrettably causing Callum to retract his hand. "Just woke up today feelin' sore is all." Her eyes lit up as she jumped on the segue, "Speaking of yesterday, how did your project go? Finished it all in one go? On time? No, uh, late night runs through dark alleys?" She had hoped the on-the-nose joke would offer incentive for him to fuss up.

Callum's face fell into a contortion of forced smiles but mixed with embarrassed panic. Suffice it to say, she could tell he felt stupid about not taking her advice. Which was good.

"Umm… I uh, kinda…" he sheepishly rubbed the back of his head as he cleared his throat. "Tripped on my home, in an alley."

Her face nearly dropped. He was gonna lie about it? Why?

"Then I got all turned around, a bit lost but…" a smile glistened his face, the same smile that managed to brighten her day without fail. She easily forgot about her momentary frustrations, now in awe of his sudden elated expression. "I was uh, I was saved."

Her brows raised, trying to follow his narrative, she recited, "Ya were saved, after tripping and gettin' lost in an alley? How?"

"Yeah just some… angel dropped by. Picked me up on my feet and helped me find my way home— safely," he hastily added, throwing her a smirk.

Her brows remained confused as she desperately tried to trace his tracks of an off the rails story. What was he trying to sell? Even if Rayla didn't already know what happened, what Callum was saying made less sense. "An angel?" she scoffed, staring at him curiously.

He shrugged as he turned to his locker, now unlocking it and sorting out his textbooks. "Yup. Gave me some good advice too." He slammed his locker shut, snapping Rayla out of her focused trance as he met her eyes with his.

This felt different.

He was suddenly so close, almost as if he was a breath away. And he was—she realized, as her breathing bounced off his face and toward hers. Why was he...so close all of a sudden? Part of Rayla wanted to close her eyes, and just pucker her lips, hoping that what was about to happen was actually going to happen. But another part of her held onto her backpack straps with a vice grip, fear screaming into her instincts that something was amiss. But _she_ knew Callum.

She knew there was nothing to be afraid of.

"I know I don't always say it, but I'm glad I have you, Ray," he quietly spoke, flashing a modest amount of pearly whites. She couldn't even stutter back a response as he continued, "I know you're always there for me… in any way possible. And I'm thankful to know you'll always be there for me."

He slowly drifted back, as if he had finished soaking up her air and was satisfied with leaving her breathless for no damn reason. She managed to stammer out, "A-Aye…" as he backed away.

"Just remember it's a two way street, you can tell me anything," he flashed a wink and chuckled, "and I mean it." And with that, the darn bell shot Rayla out of her spell, reminding her that her stupid school days always began with the _one _class she and Callum didn't share together. Physics wasn't fun without him, but now it would be impossible as she was still watching him as he rushed down the halls.

Slowly, she made her way over to science labs, thinking about how random Callum was. But she knew it wasn't random. His words, had he taken Moonshadow's—_her_—advice to heart last night? Was a mugger scare all he needed to confess to her?

Or… did he know that she had a crush on him? And did he want _her_ to admit it?

She shook her head, forcing herself to focus on her path toward class before she got anymore distracted thinking—

"_...In any way possible…"_

Her body froze as it all suddenly clicked.

Or did he… know _that_?

Rayla turned back at the near empty alls, staring down the hallway, where Callum once was. She was sore, exhausted, tired, and now? Extremely confused.

* * *

_**A/N: Okay so, yes there is a ton of lore to this story that I had unintentionally signed up for but don't worry I will cover my bases. How Rayla got her powers will be revealed in another one-shot, but the gist of what I can reveal for now is her power base.**_**_ Powers: enhanced strength; enhanced agility; camouflage; enhanced healing. No she doesn't use her powers when she plays football. Powers only work in the light of the moon. _**

_**So with that out of the way: What happened to me? Quarantine hit me hard with mental issues and I don't want to labour you all with the details but to summarize, I wasn't in a mood to write and had trouble finding motivation. I procrastinated like crazy and that is honestly ALL on me. You guys don't deserve an excuse like that and so I'll do my best to stay active for this coming month. **_

_**Because if you are out of the loop, Rayllum month is back and YES I'm on it already. These year's rules are different as instead of the full 31 days we're only doing half, every other day starting from July 1st to July 31st. The reasoning explained was to help with creators being able to catch up in between, but I will do my best to go above and beyond and provide as much as I can! **_

_**Go check out rayllum-week-and-month on tumbles for the full list of prompts but for now I will say July 1st is Anniversary and will be Childhood AU. Sorry for no surprise but I thought I'd just let you guys know. Also, know that I will being doing my standard twists on these prompts (though admittedly they were all harder this year) for the exact reason I did them last time. I want to write something others won't think of and something I can have fun with. **_

_**I will do my best to get more College AUs out there, but keep in mind I also have a some queued up prompts of fan suggested AUs so expect some of those throughout the month as well. Maybe. Who knows, we'll see. That said, it's hilarious to me to see everyone asking for more College AU because people... I'm just adding more fuel to the Slowburn. ;P**_

_**ALSO, will be getting my wisdom teeth pulled (all of my left side), this Friday so there may be delays but I am trying to get ahead of the curve. Already have the premises for the first three days ready, and first prompt is already under writing! **_

**_And, HUGE shout out to ByTheLemonsAreComing for this fun prompt. Loved it a ton and had a blast writing it. Please keep up the suggestions! I may not be able to write everyone's but ideas are still ideas and I make sure to give credit where credit is due, no matter how small!_**

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_**Review Responses:**_

**behnbailey: **Yuuuuuup. ASL was super hard to learn at home but my prof was real forgiving and threw me a bone with the grading. He knew I was an attentive student. Right now my issue is just constantly practicing every so often on my own.

**Guest (Anna): **I shall.

**Guest (Selena): **Happy to hear you liked it! Always love seeing my fics still getting read while I'm being a mole under a rock.

**Prophet21:** Awesome reviews as always! I am doing better, thank you. Reviews like yours keeps my spirits up most definitely. I hope you are doing well too.

**ArifXero96: **To be honest, I think I was going for a pun on Socializing and on Socialism as in, like an actual lecture on Socialism. Which to be fair, Callum would likely appreciate that more than a college party of drunks. Also, glad I could rekindle some college day memories, my uni days are still fresh but I'm riveting through them. Glad you love the AU!

* * *

_**On a genuinely important note however, PLEASE stay safe during all these hard times. I wish you all the best and hope you all stay safe. **_

_**Until next time,**_

_**\- Bleh**_


	47. Anniversary - Childhood AU (Prompt 1)

_**A/N: Sorry for being a bit late! Had a late start today! But here we go! Also happy Canada Day too I guess. Oh yeah, and Rayllum month day 1: Anniversary**_

_**And here is the full list also available on Tumblr: **_

_**Day 1: Anniversary**_

_**Day 2: Mistake/Amends**_

_**Day 3: Travel**_

_**Day 4: Baking/Cooking**_

_**Day 5: Nightmares/Comfort**_

_**Day 6: Dancing**_

_**Day 7: Written in the Stars**_

_**Day 8: Callum's B-Day**_

_**Day 9: Domesticity**_

_**Day 10: In Laws**_

_**Day 11: Alternate Universe**_

_**Day 12: Gift**_

_**Day 13: Growth**_

**_Day 14: Date Night_**

**_Day 15: Timeskip_**

**_Day 16: Rayla's B-Day_**

**_Remember, prompts are every other day, from July 1st to July 31st. So nothing tomorrow, but Friday yes! Also when my wisdom teeth are gone so oof._**

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_**Chapter Summary: **I__t's been five years since Rayla and Callum met at the annual End of the War celebration. Everyone decides to celebrate the occasion! Some to the extreme, others more personally. At the end of the day, it's the togetherness that matters. Childhood AU._

_**Word Count: 3,289**_

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**Anniversary**

"Mum, what should I get Rayla?"

Callum's mother shot her head up from out of her papers as she raised a curious brow over to her son, who was sketching by the windowsill. "For what, dear?" she asked, returning her attention to her papers.

"For our anniversary!"

Sarai dropped her pen as she stared at her son with wide eyes. His casual demeanor left her spirling with dozens of questions. If he wanted to get her a present, for an anniversary, did that mean… they were already _together_? When did that even happen? Were they just hiding it this entire time? How did this even happen? How far did it go, could it have gone toward betrothal—would they even know such a thing?

The Queen rose up from her seat in a haste, startling her son with the sound of her chair scraping against the floor. The frightened expression on his face bore a reminder into her mind: _why _wasn't she more concerned with the fact that they were still _children_ and were _far_ too young to be betrothed. Despite what Harrow, Runaan, and Tiadrin thought, both Lain and Sarai were aware that their kids were not mature enough to be romantically involved, _yet_. But all were obviously still rooting for them.

Carefully, she decided to question Callum about this. "Umm, Callum, when did you both uh, settle on this anniversary?"

His brief shock immediately subsided with a smile as he answered, "You know when Mum! The beginning of this coming month!" Sarai stared at her son in confusion. Picking up on this, Callum chuckled. "You're so silly Mum! Remember? End of the War Festival? When I met Rayla?"

Her eyes lit up as she gasped, "Ohhh! You mean when you and Rayla became friends? _That_ type of anniversary!"

Her son tilted his head in confusion. "What else would I be thinking of?"

Sarai sweetly smiled as she shook her head. "Nothing, dear." She walked over to her child and sat beside him grooming his hair as he returned to his sketches—which were of Rayla of course. She chuckled at the thought. Of course they would want to celebrate their friendship anniversary, they once dedicated a random cake to it! "So, you want to get Rayla a present?"

Callum nodded with a hum as he began shading in Rayla's outfit. Saria swore he could practically sketch her in his sleep at this point. "It's been five years, already! What means five years in gift form?"

Sarai laughed at the question. "Sweetie, you don't have to specifically get her something related to the five years. She'll know. Just get her something to show your appreciation for her."

"Like a sword?"

She smirked. "She might have enough of those, but if you want to—"

"What about a whole bucket of Moonberry juice?"

Sarai laughed. "I'm sure she already has barrels full of them."

"What about another cake?"

"We'll have one at the dinner."

Callum quirked a brow as his mother rose up from her spot. "Dinner?"

"Yes! After all, this celebration is not just you and Rayla's friendship, but also Runaan's! We should have a big dinner together!" She clasped her hands together and excitedly as she hurried over to her desk. "Oh I must ask if Rayla's parents will be able to join us this time! Maybe Runaan will finally bring that husband of his!" She quickly began conjuring up a letter for Runaan, leaving her son to pout annoyedly.

"_Mum_, what about my gift for Rayla!" he whined.

She chuckled as she continued to write. "Sweetheart, as long as it comes from your heart and shows your genuine appreciation for Rayla's relationship with you, you'll be fine."

Although Callum smiled, he had no idea what his mother was on about. At all…

::::

"Hello! Anyone home?" Lain called out as he and his wife entered their home. He retrieved Tiadrin's sword and placed it on a stand along with his polearm. "Wonder where they are…" he muttered as his wife sauntered into the living room, diving onto the sofa.

"Ahh, they'll be fine, love." She relaxably kicked her feet up on their table—a very expensive table both Lain and Ethari told her was an antique—and released a content sigh as she relaxed into the chair. "Thunder knows those bastards ain't gettin' into any trouble soon."

A small gasp erupted from above, startling the couple onto their feet in alarm. They saw in their rafters two familiar individuals: their daughter and her mentor, one fiercely gripping onto the support beams while the other lounged like it was a bed. Rayla pointed her finger at mother, still maintaining her balance as she shouted, "Mummy cursed again!"

She rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms, whilst her spouse shook his head. "Why in the bloody Moon are ya up in the ceiling?"

"She wanted to surprise ya," Runaan supplied, now finding a sudden interest in a book he pulled out.

"And _ya_ went along with it?" Tiadrin accused with a smirk. "Since when did ya get so soft Runaan?"

"I made him do it," Ethari's voice chimed in from the kitchen. He turned into the living room with a tray of Moonberry juice, smiling at the two. He set the tray down on the table and extended his arms. "Welcome back ya two!" he embraced them with warm hugs, leaving Tiadrin to look up at her daughter smugly.

"Now _that_ is how ya welcome your parents!"

Rayla pouted then proceeded to drop down to the floor, startling Ethari and Lain's hearts for a moment, while Runaan and Tiadrin smiled proudly at her textbook landing. "Sorry Mum," she mumbled as she ran to her mother, hugging her tightly.

She laughed at her daughter's firm hug and lifted her up to peck her cheek. "It's aight darlin'." She winked. "Ya know Da and I aren't going nowhere."

"Now can I get my hug too?" Lain asked, holding his arms out with a smile.

"Better," Tiadrin replied as she walked over to her husband, hugging him with Rayla in between them.

"Fair enough."

As the three's hug came to an end, Rayla asked, "Da, did ya get the thing I asked for?"

He nodded as he pulled out a small bag, handing it to Rayla for her to inspect. Her eyes shined as the bag illuminated once she opened it, but after seeming satisfied she tucked it into her belt. "Why'd want that for a souvenir Ray?" Tiadrin asked.

"Secret!" she giggled.

Runaan dropped down and stood beside his beloved, holding his hand as he smiled at the sight of the happy family. The three began a round of whispers as her parents tried to pry the secret out of her. Watching over Rayla was a welcomed gift in their lives, but Runaan was glad Avizandum allowed his guards to holiday every now and then. Rayla deserved to have her parents in her life. And whilst they could try living vicariously through the letters both he and Rayla sent them, he knew they appreciated being her life to see and hear her tell the stories.

He smiled back at his husband, lifting their interlaced hands and kissing Ethari's, gently. He internally patted himself on the back for causing his spouse to blush, but outwardly beamed a brighter smile.

"Wow, Runaan showin' affection? War may long be over but seems like it's still the end times," Tiadrin jested, putting her daughter down as she smirked.

Runaan rolled his eyes. "Excuse me for enjoyin' the moment, _Tia_," her face contorted into a scowl, "but I like relishing in moments like these."

"True, I may be the softie but Runaan's a sentimental Elf," Ethari teased, chuckling alongside the rest of the adults.

"What does that mean, Da?" Rayla asked, looking up at him.

"It _means_ Runaan has big feelings for personal things, things that make him happy," he happily answered.

"Like King Harrow and Queen Sarai?" she tilted her head.

Lain smiled as she rubbed his daughter's head. "Yes, I have no doubt they are a part of that."

Runaan rolled his eyes, "Speaking of, since ya are in town, we'll be heading back to Katolis again, for the End of the War celebration. Might be a nice time for ya to join us?"

They had already met the royal couple and their son before, on a delegation with Avizandum. The Dragon Guard were assigned there and met them, immediately becoming fast friends with the two. Also throwing their chips into their children's relationship—Tiadrin practically became their bard, she almost set up a date right on the spot but Lain reminded her they were on duty. It was a moment, but Runaan knew they wanted to meet again. Of course that was the only way the four would ever interact, was through delegation meetings only and only ever in Xadia. And Rayla, most especially, wanted them to meet again in the Human Kingdoms.

Which was no doubt obvious as at current, the assassin-in-training was bouncing in place, smiling at her parents. "Ma, Da, are ya comin'! Please, please, please, _please_ come! Callum can show ya his drawings! He has some really cool ones of me," at that her parents' brows rose in interest, "and maybe he'll draw ya too!"

Tiadrin turned to her husband, beaming. "Well, ya always did say ya wanted to see the Human Kingdoms. And Katolis is known for throwin' the best celebration parties."

"Yeah! People from all over the Human Kingdoms visit for the festival!" Rayla chimed in.

Lain chuckled, "Relax darlin', we're going, we're going. We already planned on—"

The rest of the sentence was shortened by their daughter's loud cheer. "Yes! Yaaaay!" She hugged both her parents and pulled away in excitement, beaming brightly at them. "This is perfect! Ya can help me prep for my anniversary with Callum!" she announced as she ran off to her room.

All four adults froze on the spot, simultaneously shouting, "_Anniversary_?"

::::

"Ohh, thank Thunder, ya thought so too?" Lain asked, holding his heart as Sarai chuckled into her tea.

"Yes, I nearly thought they were playing us from the start!" she laughed.

Runaan rolled his eyes. "Ya should've seen her mother, Tiadrin was ready to starting collecting coins thinkin' she won the bet." He scoffed into his tea, rolling his eyes at the memory.

Harrow stopped eating as he shot a look at the Elf of topic. "What, no, _I_ said before they're of marrying age!"

Tiadrin snorted, swallowing her massive bite of a baguette. "Aye, and _I_ said before they're of marryin' age, but one year _under_ yours. I don't know if ya every gambled, _my king_, but that renders all years under me under my belt, not yours!" she smirked, teasingly pointing her baguette at the man.

He gasped. "That's not how that works! If anything we should split the pool!"

"Are ya naff? Not on my life!" Tiadrin chuckled.

"Spar?" Harrow tempted, extending his hand out, "Winner can claim the pool, loser has to change their bidding."

"Deal," Tiadrin agreed, firmly clasping onto the King of Katolis' hand.

"_Harrow_," Sarai scolded.

"_Tiadrin_," Lain chided.

"If ya're forgetting," Runaan spoke up, "first of, they _aren't_ dating. So no one even won. And second, we already agreed no one can change their bid."

Tiadrin scoffed. "Nah ya numpty, this is for _later_. We'll have to settle this eventually!"

"Can ya at least watch your language?" Lain sighed. "The children'll be back soon. And I already caught Rayla teachin' Callum how to say bastard."

Sarai and Runaan palmed at their faces whilst Tiadrin laughed, all while Harrow and Lain shook their heads. If there was ever someone who took Harrow and Sarai's advice of, _"No formalities, please! We're all friends!"_ it would be Tiadrin. When she was Dragon Guard, she was serious—as serious as she could be—and respectful. But off the job, she was the most foul mouthed and irritable Elf one could encounter. Perhaps a good drinking buddy (yes there is rum at the table), but definitely not one to mince her words.

"Ahh relax, Ethari's with the kids. His virgin ears'll probably purify those darn kids more than I can corrupt them." she waved her hand casually, reaching for the cup of rum. Harrow hurriedly removed the beverage from her vicinity, causing a whine to erupt.

"I think we should cut you off tonight."

"Pfft, fine, I was giving ya the advantage for our spar later. Ya could use the edge."

Harrow narrowed his brows."

Sarai rolled her eyes again. "Harro—" he chugged the remainder of Tiadrin's drink, slamming the empty mug onto the table

"I don't need a handicap!"

The rest of the adults sighed as the two began a drinking competition.

Soon enough, the hall doors opened and only Ethari came strolling through. Lain was the first to acknowledge their children's absence. The tinkerer merely shrugged in response. "Callum said he wa getting his gift from his room and Rayla was getting hers from the guest room but when I went to the spot they said they'd meet me they didn't show." Runaan and Sarai exchanged a smile. Whilst Harrow howled in laughter Tiadrin followed suit, clearly not getting it but just enjoying the moment nonetheless. "What, what is it?" Ethari questioned.

Runaan sighed. "Ahh, beloved, ya've been played."

"So they were planning to exchange gifts in secret?" Lain deduced. Sarai nodded. "See it's things like that, that make me think they're already together!"

"Might as well be!" Tiadrin chirped. "Now pay me!"

"No no, no… no," Harrow slurred, "Must… fight first. Money later."

She nodded back. "Yes yes. Duels…"

Lain held his head as he sighed. "I'm gonna get a headache tomorrow."

"So will she," Runaan jested.

Sarai took the moment to step from out of her seat and sauntered over to the window sill, looking down into the courtyard. "Sarai?" Ethari called out as he moved back toward his seat at the table, near Runaan.

"You all think it's _in secret_, but come now, we _all_ know where they like to play and meet." Without hesitation, the window sill was filled with all six adults, cramming the spot as they all looked down below.

Surely enough, at a lone bench underneath the tree, Rayla and Callum were sat together, holding their presents behind their backs as they smiled.

Callum had never felt so nervous before. Well, there was the time Rayla saw his drawings for the first time… and the time she saw his drawings of her for the first time, but this was definitely up there. After advice from his mother, he decided to stop asking people for help with Rayla's gift—his father suggested a ring, he wasn't sure why—and get her gift himself. He knew it had to be special, as his mother said, and hoped this would be something she liked.

"Here Ray," he meekly offered, extending the wrapped gift toward her. She put aside her gift and accepted the package.

She slowly unwrapped the present, her hands shaking with excitement at each pull of paper. And it was revealed: a book. It had a leather bound cover, black, and had a strap attached to its spine. She flipped through the pages, finding each one to be blank. She blinked up at him in confusion.

"It's a sketchbook. Like the one my dad got me, it has a strap too. You can wear it and take it with you." He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head he continued, "I-I, know you like my sketches and I thought you might want to try drawing too. So, I thought I'd get you something you can draw in too! I-I could teach you how to… draw, too. So we both can draw together?"

Rayla's look of confusion subsided instantaneously as she embraced her best friend with a tight hug. She really didn't know what to say. She wasn't much of an artist, but it was only because she never really had time to draw or try to. That was why when she met Callum she always wanted to see his drawings. She wanted to try herself, but she didnt' want to bother Callum with it. She started to understand his sketchbook meant a lot to him, which is why she handled it with more care as she held it when he let her see, but she didn't want to invade that space.

Her book. _Her sketchbook_, was practically similar to his. She smiled as she pulled away, whispering, "Thank ya Callum. I'll take good care of it." She whipped her body around and shoved her gift toward Callum, muttering a quick, "Here ya go!"

Callum managed to catch it, and carefully observed the container. It was a small, rectangular box. Elven wood obviously, but it seemed so… personal. Delicate for a wooden box, he felt like he needed to be careful opening it. Slowly, he unclasped the lock and pulled open the box. His eyes widened at the sight. It was a bracelet. A silver chained band that circled around a small glowing orb. It had a pulsating energy to it, it felt… alive.

"It's a Primal Stone."

His eyes grew wider at Rayla's elaboration.

"I… I asked Da if he could get one from Avizandum, and then I had Ethari make me a bracelet." She shyly shrugged as she hugged her new sketchbook close to her chest. "I put it together myself."

"Wh… Why?" Callum asked, "Aren't these _super_ rare?"

"Aye," she nodded. "It's because... ya said ya didn't want to learn sword fighting. And that ya _couldn't_ learn Magic. But, that's not true!" she pointed at the bracelet. "With that, ya can make spells like a Sky Mage!"

His fascination grew as he heard the words. He… could be a Mage? That was possible?

"I… I don't know much Sky spells but I can help ya! And then we can be a party! Like ya said—"

"The ones I drew about. Our adventures."

"Aye."

With an excited smile, Callum clasped the bracelet around his right wrist, feeling elated at its perfect fit. He turned to Rayla and gave her a big hug, whispering, "Thanks Ray. I'll learn as much as I can."

"Happy anniversary Cal."

"Happy anniversary Ray."

The two pulled away, taking a second to admire their gifts. Up above, their watchers were struggling as Tiadrin slipped and was now dangling outside of the window. "Lift with your back, ya bloody babies!"

"I can drop you, you know!" Harrow barked, as he fiercely pulled on her right hand. Lain had her left, whilst Sarari and Runaan attempted to pull by holding onto Lain and Harrow. Ethari had no room to help and found himself worriedly waiting aside.

"Good, ya could use the advantage for later!" she laughed.

"That's it!" Harrow released her hand and hopped out the window attempting to attack her in some way but slipping instead. Immediately, he found himself dangling alongside Tiadrin, bickering with her as Ethari rushed to pick him up, with support from Runaan, whilst Lain and Sarai focused on Tiadrin. Both spouses shouting at their respective significant others to stop swinging hands at each other.

"What are they doin'?" Rayla asked, staring up at the six in the window.

Callum shrugged. "You think they'll be okay?"

"Aye, your Da and my Ma can survive that." The two hopped onto their feet and began making their way out of the courtyard, on their way to join the dinner they ditched. "Do ya think they're having fun though?"

"_TRY ME YOU ELF!"_

Callum giggled. "I think so."

After all, they were all together. That was what mattered in the end.

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**_A/N: Sorry I kinda got carried away with the adults segment, but I felt like they deserved some more background into this childhood friendship and plus, first MBTMS showing of Tiadrin and Lain! For those who don't know, these were the confirmed names from the Offical TDP and it's also confirmed Tiadrin has a truck driver mouth and cusses so I kinda had fun with that. If that was a bit much, sorry, but I don't think I've written anything too faint of heart._**

**_Also, no, in case it wasn't clear, Harrow and Tiadrin don't hate each other they're just drunk and very competitive. Tiadrin obviously is more of an instigator but it's all in good fun._**

**_Anyways, day one down! yaaaay! more to come! Yes yes! Hope you all liked! Next one is Day 2: Mistake/Amends. Also I will be calling it Day 2 even though it's day three of July, because it's technically Day 2 of Rayllum._**

**_Stay safe everyone!_**

**_Until next time, _**

**_\- Bleh_**


	48. Atonement (Prompt 2)

_**A/N: OWWWWWWW. okay, so turns out the process of removing wisdom teeth wasn't so bad, it's the recovery. So... I'm sorry for being behind but expect this for at least the upcoming week as I am incredibly uncomfortable. Seriously, I had issues just trying to proof read this and it was not fun. Having no beta tends to do that to ya. **_

_**So yeah, I'll be a bit delayed in updates so apologies in advance and thank you for your patience. Anyways, day 2, Mistakes/Amends.**_

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_**Chapter Summary: **Rayla had her own demons to settle before she could settle in the place Callum called his home. What's forgotten isn't forgiven, and she has her own declarations to make..._

_**Word Count: 1,818**_

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**Atonement**

Rayla kept her hood up high as she walked down the stone path. The scarce droplets of rain weren't exactly the motivators for why she kept her face covered, as she felt that respectfully, it was more appropriate. Her descending steps splashed with each puddle, filling the null sounds of pattering rain with her heavy footsteps. A part of her wished it was deafening silence, just so she could suffer in some sort of agony but she's outright grateful that there's any noise to begin with. It was easier for her to collect her thoughts with something to ground her.

Usually, it'd be Callum doing that for her, but she needed to do this alone. She _owed_ it to him to do this alone.

She finally reached the bottom of the stair path, and followed the stone path down and into the depths of the canyon. The small illuminated torches, revealing the way forward. Hesitance held her back as she marched on, eyes darted low, with her head hanging. She felt… like a trespasser. She had already debated with herself long beforehand, wondering if she had any right to do this. If she _earned_ this at all. Just because she—_they_, saved the world a month ago, didn't mean she had been forgiven. She wasn't some hero. She didn't deserve to be here.

Familiar thoughts of guilt crept up in her mind once again, and her pace slowed immensely. Maybe this was a bad idea. As her boots stomped she felt like the path behind was lighter, and that perhaps turning back would be easier than trudging forward. She couldn't wait for Callum to get to bed. She couldn't socialize during dinner with everyone else. She couldn't do anything. It was bothering her all day. But with each second she neared, she felt more conflicted. So what if it was bothering her? That didn't justify this invasiveness.

Suddenly she found the stone path before her lit up. She raised her head and swallowed her nerves at the sight of her goal in front of her. A large, stone pedestal stood right before her. A large stone statue of a man stood tall and firm, with a broadsword placed in front of him, embedded into the pedestal with his hands folded atop its pommel. His head hung low, as if meant to stare down those before him, with his crown perfectly sculpted on his head. The inscription on the pedestal read, _For Our King Who Stood Until the End_.

Rayla gulped. It was as all the paintings and sketches Callum had shown her. It was King Harrow. The man she was sent to kill, the man Runaan, her mentor, murdered. The man whose death changed so much. Her target. Their King.

Her boyfriend's father.

Callum had told her before of his complicated history with his father, _step_-father. He had been far too young to even remember his blood father, but he had told her he came to terms with that early on, as he had passed not long after. Harrow was a special case, as he was the king. Callum always perceived himself as someone distant from him. He wasn't ever his father, or step-father, he was _King_. He placed him on a pedestal no different from the one before her right now, and imagined he wasn't worthy of being his son; Callum thought himself to be someone outside of the family.

"_He never even heard me call him, Dad,"_ he told her. Tears had fallen so much that night she held him as he spoke. _"I was… I was right outside that door."_

Her heart ached. Outside, right in the middle of all the fighting caused by her people—by her comrades. She would've been one of them too. Slashing through guards and breaking down that door. She probably would've been there to see it happen. To see Runaan—

She instinctively lowered her head, guilt rising up within her as her knees gave out. She dropped to the ground, kneeling before the statue with a stiffness in her back she wished would break. She knew who did it. Runaan had the arrow, he wouldn't have shot it unless he _knew_ the job was done. He wasn't one to shy away from his duties. He would be the one leading the charge, no doubt sacrificing everything he could to accomplish the mission. Her mentor… killed Callum's father.

Tears began swelling up in her eyes as she recalled her and Callum's moment together, during that one rainy day, discussing their deaths. Callum wasn't stupid, he knew Runaan might've been the one to do it. She had apologized, and Callum had done so too, for everything his father had done to Xadia before. Both sides wronged, but this was different. Rayla's mouth felt so dry, yet, she managed to gaze up at Harrow. Staring into his soulless eyes as she sighed.

"I'm sorry that I never got to meet ya. And that even if I did, it still wouldn't have been under the best circumstances." Her voice was hoarse and quiet. She didn't earn this right… but Callum, Ezran… _Harrow_, deserved it. "I-I know that that day changed a lot for ya. And… I-I wish I wasn't apart of that." She took a deep breath as she shook her head. "I… I'm sorry I carried a-a sense of anger, of vengeance when I entered your home. I…"

She had no idea what would have happened if Ezran didn't find Zym. Or if the egg was never real in the first place. She…

"I-I think I would've done it. K… Killed him…" she whispered. "Or-Or maybe not… I'm not sure… part of me wants to believe I'd never do that to him, that I could never but—" she glanced up once more, feeling the droplets of rain bounce off her tear streamed face.

He was a good man. Flawed, no doubt. But he was a good man. And a great father. She almost took that from him. And… she made Callum lose that. The what if's were a conversation she had plagued over time and time again. It didn't happen. It didn't. But _if_ it did. And for the short time she had been fighting against them, she did it earnestly. That was what scared her.

A second sooner, and things would've been different.

"I'm sorry… your Highness…" she pleaded, lowering her head once more with her eyes shut tight. "I'm… I'm sorry that I played a hand in your death. And that I'm now here, with your son… actin' like any of this is okay… Because I know it's not. Ya.. Ya deserved to see him as he is now. Ya deserved to see him become the person he is today… to-to, be proud, in person. Not as a memory…" she sniffed, as she shook her head, "But as a father. An actual, living, _breathin'_, happy dad."

She brought her hands up to her chest, clenching them fiercely over her heart as she sobbed. "I… I swore, '_My heart for Xadia_,' but I just—I can't help but think about how misplaced it was. How… what I would've done would've just, continue the cycle. That, nothing would've changed… except more violence and conflict. And-And that _was_ what happened. What had driven your kingdom well past the brink of _war_.

"Right now, all I can think about is how my heart is in between. I'd gladly fight for Xadia, and for Katolis… because that was what our stand was about. Unity. But…" she could do this. She had to. She found her footing and stood up from her spot, staring up at Harrow once more. She clenched her fists as she let her arms drop to her sides. She felt like shaking, like turning away and shutting her mouth, but she wanted to go on, even if it was a ramble. "I don't know _where _I belong. I… I don't know what it is I'm supposed to be. I just, I'm sorry this revelation wasn't one that came before I came here to—_y'know_. But... I want ya to know…"

She took one more deep breath, and smiled a proud smile up at him. "My heart? It will _always_ lie with _him_. I know it. Be it for his kingdom, or my people, I know I will stand with him no matter what. I-I know I can be conflicted… and confused… and… misguided. I know I have a lot of what if's that… that could've made me a worse Elf. But he helped me. He guided me. And I-I want ya to know… I promise… this isn't a mistake."

She brought her right hand up to her chest, "My heart for him… because I know he's worth it. Just like… just like ya knew too."

It felt like a weight was lifted, just ever so slightly. As she turned around and walked, she carried herself with more confidence this time. Maybe because it was easier to walk away. Or, perhaps it was because it was the right thing to do.

She wasn't sure exactly.

Rayla made her way back into the castle, strolling through the corridors with a sense of clearness she had not had the last time she wandered through. Her footsteps weren't as heavy or dreadful. She felt… comfortable. To be able to walk through the halls of the same place she had once set out to infiltrate. She found her way back to her room—_their_ room. She opened their door and stepped inside, not at all surprised to find Callum in bed, sketching.

He glanced up and smiled. "What happened to you? After dinner you said you'd wait here while I finished up with everyone else but…" She wordlessly walked over to the bed, watching as he worriedly put aside his book and pencil on the nightstand. "You okay, Ray?"

She slid herself in right beside him, and hugged Callum. Nothing too firm, too meaningful, just enough. "Yeah… I am. I was just… sortin' some stuff out is all."

She felt him nod against her shoulder as he slowly rubbed her back. "And?"

She pulled away, smiling into his grassy green eyes as she brought her hands up to his cheeks. "I love ya. And I'm glad we met. That's all."

He smiled immediately, obviously a part of him had questions, but her declaration seemed to satisfy him for now because he brought his hands up to hers and pulled them down. He intertwined their fingers together, like she always liked: his five for her four. He held her firmly as he pecked each hand with a soft touch. "I know."

With that, the two slowly tucked themselves in, holding onto each other as they stared into each other's eyes, waiting for sleep to overtake them.

She was sure about this. She knew that for certain.

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_**A/N: I know it was short, but the story I wanted to tell focused on Rayla exclusively and I felt like it made more sense to pile on that idea. Sorry if it wasn't enough. I really don't have much to say other than the repeated: "expect delays, sorry I'm sorry, thanks for your patience" whole deal. **_

**_Kinda just in a hurry, so sorry!_**

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**_Review Responses:_**

_**mdauben: **Glad you liked it! I had fun writing Tiadrin and Harrow, as I think they'd get along great much like their spouses do with each other. I just picture a whole wholesome six parental family looking after two kids they ship dearly. Hope you liked this prompt too!_

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**_Thanks for reading, please leave a review/comment. And next one is Travel, which y'all already know since I'm a day behind... :(_**

_**Until next time, **_

_**\- Bleh**_


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